Brian Cox says Jeremy Strong’s method acting brought ‘hostility’ to Succession set

Succession star Brian Cox has criticised Jeremy Strong, who played his on-screen son, for a tactic that created tension amid the cast.

Brian Cox has openly criticised his former Succession co-star Jeremy Strong for his preference for method acting on set, calling it “f**king annoying” amongst other things over the years. And now, Cox is once again doubling down on those claims, though he also has some kind words to say for the actor who once played his on-screen son.

“He was wonderful to act with. I had no argument with Jeremy’s acting,” Cox told The Guardian in a recent interview. “He would be an even better actor if he just got rid of that so there would be much more inclusiveness in what he did.”

The That Christmas star seemed to be speaking from experience as he suggested that method acting can be an annoyance on set.

“It’s not good for the ensemble. It creates hostility. That’s the problem,” he said. He added that he did not get the chance to discuss it with Strong when they were co-stars on the hit HBO series from 2018 to 2023, saying it can be “a very emotive subject for people who follow the Strasberg line,” referring to the influential director and actor Lee Strasberg, who is widely regarded as the figure who popularised method acting.

Brian Cox, Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, Matthew Macfadyen, J. Smith-Cameron, and Nicholas Braun at the 2022 Emmys. Picture: Frederic J. Brown/AFP

Cox has previously said the debate over method acting is really a “cultural clash,” calling it “that American sh**” in an interview in 2023.

In fact, Cox appeared to blame Daniel Day Lewis with getting Strong stuck on method acting early on in his career. “Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan,” Cox told Variety at the time.

Despite his relentless criticism of the actor who, ironically, played the son vying most for his approval and position at the company, Cox has never denigrated Strong’s overall acting skills, calling him “talented” and “gifted” in interviews.

Cox said Strong’s method acting was “not good” for the ensemble cast. Picture: Foxtel

But Cox has pointed out that Strong was known for staying in character as Kendall Roy, even in between scenes. The actor recalled one point during filming when Strong stayed in character after filming a particularly emotional scene with Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin, who played his on-screen siblings, as he confessed to his part in the car crash that led to a waiter’s death.

“He’s still that guy, because he feels if he went somewhere else he’d lose it. But he won’t! Strong is talented. He’s f**king gifted,” Cox told Town & Country in 2023. “When you’ve got the gift, celebrate the gift. Go back to your trailer and have a hit of marijuana, you know?”

Strong has since said that he does not miss playing such a reactionary character. But he did respect Cox’s opinion on the matter.

“Everyone’s entitled to have their feelings,” Strong said in a 2023 interview with GQ.

“I also think Brian Cox, for example, he’s earned the right to say whatever the f**k he wants.”

He added, “I feel a lot of love for my siblings and my father on the show. And it is like a family in the sense that — and I’m sure they would say this, too — you don’t always like the people that you love. I do always respect them.”

Originally published as Brian Cox says Jeremy Strong’s method acting brought ‘hostility’ to Succession set