On the New Yorker Radio Hour podcast, Jeremy Strong discussed his infamous method-acting style. Strong’s comments came after host David Remnick asked whether his strategy of doing extensive research on his characters to fully embody those roles was “appreciated by the people around you.”
“I think I can’t really speak to that,” answered Strong. “Of course, some people seem to have been… it is never my intention to interfere with anyone else’s experience or anyone else’s way of working. First, do no harm, right? But commit to f***ing what you’re doing, and utterly.”
The Oscar-nominated actor was then asked whether he ever gets frustrated when other actors he’s working with aren’t as committed to their roles. Strong answered, “No, just meaning that I’m just there to commit utterly to serving the material.” He then went on to fully defend his acting style, saying the following:
“So, if some people feel that I’m taking it too seriously, or it changes the molecules in the room in a way that makes something uncomfortable, I guess that’s something that I don’t feel that I need to apologize for. Because I believe, and I think the directors that I work with all believe, that it’s in service of the material, and I personally think that a lot of the reactions to it are of a personal nature.
These comments come after Aaron Sorkin, who directed Strong in the upcoming The Social Reckoning, spoke of Strong’s method acting. Speaking of Strong’s work playing Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Sorkin said the actor treated his co-stars “the way he imagines Mark [Zuckerberg] treats the people around him.”
Strong’s performance as Mark Zuckerberg can be seen when The Social Reckoning hits theaters on October 9th.
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