Mads Mikkelsen puts method actors such as Lady Gaga, Jared Leto and Jeremy Strong on blast: ‘It’s bulls**t’
The unusual antics of method actors such as House of Gucci star Lady Gaga, Morbius star Jared Leto and Succession star Jeremy Strong have made headlines recently, but that doesn’t sit well with Mads Mikkelsen.
The 56-year-old Danish actor was promoting his new film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, where he replaces Johnny Depp as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, in an interview with GQ.
The actor admitted he hasn’t seen House of Gucci – where Lady Gaga remained in character throughout the production – or Succession, but when asked about the resurgence of method acting, he had a simple response: ‘It’s bulls**t.’
Method of madness: The unusual antics of method actors such as House of Gucci star Lady Gaga, Morbius star Jared Leto and Succession star Jeremy Strong have made headlines recently, but that doesn’t sit well with Mads Mikkelsen
Promoting: The 56-year-old Danish actor was promoting his new film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, where he replaces Johnny Depp as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, in an interview with GQ
Method: The actor admitted he hasn’t seen House of Gucci – where Lady Gaga remained in character throughout the production – or Succession, but when asked about the resurgence of method acting, he had a simple response: ‘It’s bulls**t’
Method Jared: Jared Leto recently made headlines for his bizarre method acting tactics
While he doesn’t go so far as completely immersing himself in the character on and off the set, he does meticulously prepare for roles.
Mikkelsen learned how to wield swords in King Arthur and speak French for Age of Uprising, but he just doesn’t see the point in never breaking character.
‘But preparation, you can take into insanity. What if it’s a s**t film – what do you think you achieved?’ Mikkelsen said.
Prepare: While he doesn’t go so far as completely immersing himself in the character on and off the set, he does meticulously prepare for roles
‘Am I impressed that you didn’t drop character? You should have dropped it from the beginning! How do you prepare for a serial killer? You gonna spend two years checking it out?’ he added.
While method acting is clearly not his proverbial cup of tea, he did say that he would relish the chance to act alongside a method actor… just to constantly mess with them.
‘I would have the time of my life, just breaking down the character constantly. “I’m having a cigarette? This is from 2020, it’s not from 1870 – can you live with it?”‘ he joked.
Not impressed: ‘Am I impressed that you didn’t drop character? You should have dropped it from the beginning! How do you prepare for a serial killer? You gonna spend two years checking it out?’ he added
Relish: While method acting is clearly not his proverbial cup of tea, he did say that he would relish the chance to act alongside a method actor… just to constantly mess with them
‘It’s just pretentious. Daniel Day-Lewis is a great actor. But it’s got nothing to do with this,’ he said, referring to his method acting.
He also blamed the media for their constant praise of method acting that continues to perpetuate the craft.
‘The media goes, “Oh my god, he took it so seriously, therefore he must be fantastic; let’s give him an award.” Then that’s the talk, and everybody knows about it, and it becomes a thing,’ he said.
Pretentious: ‘It’s just pretentious. Daniel Day-Lewis is a great actor. But it’s got nothing to do with this,’ he said, referring to his method acting
He also made some general comments on the current fascination of ‘cancel culture,’ though he didn’t say anything specifically about the man he replaced, Johnny Depp, or his controversial co-star, Ezra Miller.
‘People get cancelled right and left, and some of it’s true and some of it’s not…The times are insane,’ he said.
‘It’s as if everybody’s looking for a controversy,’ Mikkelsen added.
Cancel: He also made some general comments on the current fascination of ‘cancel culture,’ though he didn’t say anything specifically about the man he replaced, Johnny Depp, or his controversial co-star, Ezra Miller
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