Daniel Day-Lewis Says Method Acting Criticism Is From ‘People Who Have Little or No Understanding…”

Variety ^ | Oct 2025 | Ellise Shafer, Alex Ritman

[DoodleBob]

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?”

[stanne]

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

[Governor Dinwiddie]

I remember him when he opened beer bottles with his feet.

[Williams]

He’s good but highly over rated. There Will Be Blood was just awful.

[xp38]

You and I had the same reaction.

[Fai Mao]

I hope he’s never cast as Superman.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

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.

[P8riot]

I liked him in Last of the Mohicans.

[stanne]

Just great. And thanks for the spelling correction

We learned New York History back in the day. I should get that one correct.

[x]

No need to make this political.

[MileHi]

Yes. And Lincoln.

[Mermaid Girl]

I still think Ralph Fiennes is the better actor. DDL is just sort of bland.

[Larry Lucido]

I wonder if Hoffman also ran a marathon to prep for the part?

[tumblindice]

As “Butcher Bill” in Gangs of New York, he was wrapped pretty tight.

[Rummyfan]

When Hoffman started defending his actions, the Englishman simply replied, “My dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?”

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....

[Rummyfan]

There Will Be Blood was just awful.

I always thought of it as The Misanthrope's Revenge...

[Rummyfan]

When I think of Abraham Lincoln, I think of Day-Lewis’portrayal in the movie.

[Rummyfan]

Get Shorty?

[Rummyfan]

I liked him in Last of the Mohicans.

Great flick! La long carabine...