Daniel Day-Lewis Defends Method, Revisits Career | JQJO

At the BFI London Film Festival, Daniel Day-Lewis rejected takes on Method acting as misguided, calling it a way to free spontaneity rather than a cultish practice. He said the approach doesn’t seal actors off from real life, but creates a self-contained space where preparation lets "whatever passes through" flow. Returning last month in Anemone, directed by his son Ronan, he also reflected on My Left Foot, saying he wouldn’t take that role today amid criticism from members of the disabled community in Ireland. Months of immersion on that film, he added, forged the research-driven style he still defends.