Handbags at dawn: Day-Lewis shuts down Brian Cox’s method acting criticism
Daniel Day-Lewis Defends acting Technique Amidst Criticism, Recounts Professional Disagreements
Daniel Day-Lewis has spoken out against what he calls a misunderstanding of method acting, a technique he’s long been associated with, during the press tour for his new film, Anemone. The actor expressed frustration with commentary from those he believes lack understanding of the process, characterizing it as “specious science” or a “cult.”
Day-Lewis’s comments come as method acting faces renewed scrutiny, often reduced to sensationalized stories of extreme planning. He clarified that such details – like his six months spent in a jail cell for In the Name of the Father – are “the least important details,” emphasizing the technique’s core intention: “freeing yourself so you present your colleagues with a living, breathing human being they can interact with.” He added, “It pisses me off this whole, ‘Oh, he went full method,’ thing … Because it’s invariably attached to the idea of some kind of lunacy.”
The actor contrasted his dedicated approach with what he perceives as unprofessional behavior from some colleagues, stating he prefers to “stay and splash around” rather than engage in “practical jokes with whoopee cushions between takes.” He made these remarks in interviews with The Guardian and The Big Issue, as well as during an appearance at the BFI southbank last month.
Anemone, directed by Day-Lewis’s son, ronan Day-Lewis, and co-written by the pair, is set to open in the UK on November 7.