Movies Brian Cox Blames Daniel Day-Lewis for Method Acting Obsession

[BAM]

Cox is hardly the first actor to call out Method Acting. While shooting Marathon Man, Hoffman decided to stay awake for 72 hours so he would look and feel like a man at the end of his endurance during the infamous, "Is it safe?" scene. When he informed his co-star, Laurence Olivier, the legendary thespian asked,

"Have you considered just acting, dear boy?""

nor is he the only one to criticise Strong about this - Culkin, Robert Downey Jr, Sorkin have all commented on him. RDJ pretty much said he lost the plot, Culkin said the Strong's process negatively impacted him. He has been getting shit on for his over-the-top method acting for a few years now. They like him, they don't like his prep - refusing to socially engage with them, injuring himself on set, etc.

 

[cmw43]

Method acting was around before DDL and it will be around after him sir.
Cox is just angry DDL is 100x the actor he is.

 

[Madmick]

LOL, um, hello?

 

[Sweater of AV]

Regarding method acting, it’s an interesting debate and I agree with Cox to a certain extent. However, I’m also not going to deny method acting produces great performances.

 

[Nameless Ghoul]

I mean Kirk Lazarus is so method, that he doesn't break character until they finish the DVD commentary!

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

LOL, um, hello?

I think the obsession of method acting didn't really take off until like De Niro and than of course DDL with My Left Foot came into the picture. Especially nowadays with guys like Bale, Phoenix, Jeremy Strong, Jared Leto and many others who have followed the method from the great DDL and now have taken it to new heights I believe.

DDL is probably the most extreme method actor. Bale would be second.

And there is no question who started the movement and changed film acting forever. RIP Brando.

 

[HaulParris]

I understand how "method acting" can be both a useful tool (to produce a brilliant performance) and a crutch/excuse for self-centered @ssholes to feel more special about themsleves and get away with ridiculous behavior. I respect DDL and his incredible body of work. Brian Cox is a good actor but he just sounds bitter in this interview. I don't know who Jeremy Strong is, but to blame DDL for someone else's behavior seems asinine.

 

[Dan O]

I had to look up Strong. I thought it was Mark Strong at first. After looking at Jeremy’s filmography I don’t even remember his roles from movies I’ve seen him in.

Brian Cox needs to calm down. He’s on an HBO show. His film success doesn’t belong in the same conversation as a hundred other actors ahead of him.
Being a great actor is not a prerequisite for success in an HBO show. They are predominantly writing driven and the actors have to step up to the writing. The vast majority of superstars made from HBO shows fade into obscurity fairly quickly. Obviously there are exceptions.

After this show they’ll both go back to being leading men is straight to streaming releases or third tier characters riding on the coattails of better actors.

Nothing argument over nothing IMO.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I understand how "method acting" can be both a useful tool (to produce a brilliant performance) and a crutch/excuse for self-centered @ssholes to feel more special about themsleves and get away with ridiculous behavior. I respect DDL and his incredible body of work. Brian Cox is a good actor but he just sounds bitter in this interview. I don't know who Jeremy Strong is, but to blame DDL for someone else's behavior seems asinine.

I agree Cox sounds somewhat bitter for whatever reason. I think for me it’s more that the preparation for these performances is so long and arduous now. People are fundamentally changing themselves for these roles to the point where I’m not even sure it’s “acting.”

At the end of the day though, the product is what matters. I still have a deeper appreciation for those who can play many types of roles extremely well on the spot. Someone like DDL also falls under that category.

 

[Madmick]

I think the obsession of method acting didn't really take off until like De Niro and than of course DDL with My Left Foot came into the picture. Especially nowadays with guys like Bale, Phoenix, Jeremy Strong, Jared Leto and many others who have followed the method from the great DDL and now have taken it to new heights I believe.

DDL is probably the most extreme method actor. Bale would be second.

And there is no question who started the movement and changed film acting forever. RIP Brando.

If he really wants to blame someone for American method acting the obvious culprit is Lee Strasberg. He pioneered it, defined it, groomed it.

In this context, I think he's blaming DDL for spreading its popularity to non-American actors.

 

[gspieler]

The proof is in the pudding. Consider all of the great performances that method acting has produced. Apparently, Chris Owen utilized method acting for the role of "Shermanator" in the American Pie films.

 

[Hidden_Hand]

This is where us (the viewers) opinions mean nothing, all we do is watch, enjoy and then move on to something else. Multiple people in the business have an issue with method acting and it's easy to see why, imagine dealing with weird shit everyday as if actors aren't hard enough anyway.

It's kind of a weird thing to in general, and sounds super cringe to be around. I think Charlize Theron had huge issues with Tom Hardy doing it in Mad Max going as far to say just be fucking normal we are trying to eat at lunch or something.

That being said it has proven to produce amazing performances and they are artists after all so you gotta expect a little weird.

Also, whose the dick that said Brian Cox isn't good enough to critique this? Cox can say whatever he wants about the film industry he is a legend.

 

[ColemanwastheGOAT]

DDL is the most over rated actor probably ever. He's a ham.

 

[Streeter]

Method acting was around before DDL and it will be around after him sir.
Cox is just angry DDL is 100x the actor he is.

I like Brian Cox but you could tell there's jealousy there that a man 20 years younger who jas stared in 1/10 the amount of movies as most movie stars for a career . Is recognized as the un touchable GOAT and he's not even on the list or Honarsble mention.

 

[HereticBD]

I would imagine it's highly irritating for the cast and crew to be around a method actor, who, for all intents and purposes, is acting like an insane person when the cameras aren't on.

It might get results, but man it's gotta be annoying dealing with someone in character 24/7.

 

[shunyata]

Cox is hardly the first actor to call out Method Acting. While shooting Marathon Man, Hoffman decided to stay awake for 72 hours so he would look and feel like a man at the end of his endurance during the infamous, "Is it safe?" scene. When he informed his co-star, Laurence Olivier, the legendary thespian asked,

"Have you considered just acting, dear boy?""

This quip was my first thought as Cox whinged at how annoying the method style is.

Olivier was the man.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I like Brian Cox but you could tell there's jealousy there that a man 20 years younger who jas stared in 1/10 the amount of movies as most movie stars for a career . Is recognized as the un touchable GOAT and he's not even on the list or Honarsble mention.

Daniel Day Lewis never played Hannibal Lector. Or starred in an X Men movie.

 

[StonedLemur]

I like Brian Cox but you could tell there's jealousy there that a man 20 years younger who jas stared in 1/10 the amount of movies as most movie stars for a career . Is recognized as the un touchable GOAT and he's not even on the list or Honarsble mention.

That's the exact feeling I got from his statement.
He could've just been humble, but he came off like a boob sir lol.

 

[StonedLemur]

?

 

[chill doggie]

Acting in the end is just playing pretend in front of cameras for the artistic purpose of telling a story through sound and vision.
I don’t mind to hear about someone taking their job and their performance seriously enough to want to excel and give their fullest effort.
Actors can pal around while eating lunch after the product is done, I don’t feel bad to hear an actress didn’t get to enjoy her lunch like construction workers do.
Now if someone is being a cunt and sends a dead rat to your trailer then fuck them they’re tools, but no one said the experience of making art should be the same experience and come with the same comforts as an office job.