Posted on 11/07/2025 6:20:35 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Daniel Day-Lewis rejected misconceptions about Method acting during a wide-ranging conversation at the BFI London Film Festival…
The accomplished actor — a three-time best actor Oscar winner for “My Left Foot” (1989), “There Will Be Blood” (2007) and “Lincoln” (2012) — is known for his immersive process, devoting himself to staying in character throughout filming. Despite how it’s worked out for him, going Method has received a fair amount of pushback in recent years from those who believe it to be unhealthy — or just plain silly.
However, Day-Lewis pushed back against these notions after an audience member asked about his acting process: “All the recent commentary in the last few years about Method acting is invariably from people who have little or no understanding of what it actually involves. It’s almost as if it’s some specious science that we’re involved in, or a cult. But it’s just a way of freeing yourself so that the spontaneity, when you are working with your colleagues in front of the camera, that you are free to respond in any way that you’ll move to in that moment.”
Day-Lewis reflected on Jim Sheridan’s “My Left Foot,” which marked a pivotal moment in both his career and acting process. The film saw Day-Lewis play celebrated Irish writer and painter Christy Brown, whose cerebral palsy meant he could only work with the toes of one foot.
The months of preparation he was afforded as finances were put together, actually gave birth to his style of acting. He spent that time immersing himself in the world of his character, getting used to living in a wheelchair and writing and painting solely with his foot.
Day-Lewis officially returned to acting last month after an eight-year break with “Anemone,” a psychological drama directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis.
(Excerpt) Read more at variety.com ...
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In “Marathon Man” for a scene in which his character had been awake for three days in a row, Dustin Hoffman allegedly attempted the same thing to fully understand his state.
As written in The Guardian, this sparked a heated discussion between the co-stars. This is when Sir Lawrence Olivier delivered one of the greatest comebacks of all time.
When Hoffman started defending his actions, the Englishman simply replied, “My dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?”
We were just talking about him yesterday
room With a View. He was in last of mohegans as well
Such a great actor. Gangs of ny just silly movie I don’t hold that against him
Glad he’s back
He’s good but highly over rated. There Will Be Blood was just awful.
You and I had the same reaction.
I hope he’s never cast as Superman.
I was going to bring up the same thing.
In one of Elmore Leonard’s pulp novels the main character is a writer and one of the people interested in his latest story is Dustin Hoffman. I suspect that there was a lot of actual events in it. He really threw some shade on Dustin.
I liked him in Last of the Mohicans.
Just great. And thanks for the spelling correction
We learned New York History back in the day. I should get that one correct.
No need to make this political.
Yes. And Lincoln.
I still think Ralph Fiennes is the better actor. DDL is just sort of bland.
I wonder if Hoffman also ran a marathon to prep for the part?
As “Butcher Bill” in Gangs of New York, he was wrapped pretty tight.
LOL! I for one cannot stand to watch any old Hoffman flicks... as he is always so much "acting'.... Maybe Tootsie... of course that does feature a smoking hot Jessica Lange....
I always thought of it as The Misanthrope's Revenge...
When I think of Abraham Lincoln, I think of Day-Lewis’portrayal in the movie.
Great flick! La long carabine...
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