Jeremy Strong says he doesn’t feel the need to apologize for his method acting approach, defending his process on a recent episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour podcast. In the interview with New Yorker editor-in-chief David Remnick, the Succession actor addressed criticism that his intensity on set affects his co-stars and explained his commitment to serving the material.
Jeremy Strong defends his method acting
“It’s never my intention to interfere with anyone else’s experience or anyone else’s way of working,” Strong said, according to Variety. “But commit to fucking what you’re doing, and utterly.”
When Remnick asked if Strong gets frustrated with others on set who may not share his level of commitment, the actor clarified his stance. “No, just meaning that I’m just there to commit utterly to serving the material,” he said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Strong’s method acting has long drawn scrutiny from peers. His Succession co-star Brian Cox has been vocal about his criticism, calling the approach “fucking annoying” in past interviews, though Cox also acknowledged that Strong “was wonderful to act with.” In the New Yorker profile that brought attention to these tensions, Cox said that Strong’s intensity “creates hostility” and that it would benefit his performances to separate himself during the job.
Addressing co-star concerns and context
When asked how appreciated his method approach is by those he works with, Strong emphasized that the criticism often stems from misrepresentation. “Much of what’s discussed stems from selective framing or particular viewpoints,” Strong told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m aware of the comments made, and there was a slant and interpretation being promoted.”
He acknowledged past friction while defending the relationships underlying it. “To be clear, tensions have existed with my fellow actors,” Strong said. “We’re a family in every sense of the word. But foundationally, there’s deep respect and even love.”
Strong’s commitment on The Social Reckoning
Strong is now starring as Mark Zuckerberg in Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, arriving Oct. 6. The film follows whistleblower Frances Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, as she teams up with Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, to expose Facebook’s inner workings. The cast also includes Bill Burr, Betty Gilpin and Billy Magnussen.
Sorkin has described the depth of Strong’s preparation. According to The New York Times, Sorkin said that Strong treated his co-stars “the way he imagines” Zuckerberg would treat them. “He completes substantial preparation before arriving on set,” Sorkin explained in The Hollywood Reporter.
“He maintained his character’s voice and physicality throughout filming, not reverting to his natural mannerisms.”s preparation. “Jeremy does a lot of his own work.
He does a tremendous amount of work before he shows up on your set. He did not speak in his own voice on the set or walk the way Jeremy walks,” Sorkin explained.
Strong’s latest comments come as The Social Reckoning prepares to arrive in theaters, bringing his take on Zuckerberg to audiences alongside his continued defense of the method approach that has defined his career.
Reporting from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter contributed to this story.
