David Harbour Calls Method Acting ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Silly’: Daniel Day-Lewis’ Process Is ‘Nonsense to Me’
variety.comZack Sharf David Harbour was trained in “classical American method acting,” but he no longer believes in the process or uses it during filming.
While he’s best known these days for playing Jim Hopper on Netflix’s blockbuster series “Stranger Things,” Harbour got his start in the theater and in film courtesy of character actor roles in the likes of “Brokeback Mountain” and “Revolutionary Road.”“When I was younger — it’s so embarrassing — but I remember playing that famous Scottish King,” Harbour told GQ magazine. “And being like, ‘I’m gonna kill a cat’ or something: ‘I’m gonna go murder something to know what it feels like to murder.’ I didn’t actually do it, obviously.
Not only is that [method acting] stuff silly, it’s dangerous, and it actually doesn’t produce good work.” When GQ cited three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis as the “preeminent, respectable example” of method acting, Harbour noted, “He’s an extraordinary actor who I’m captivated and fascinated by. [But] when he explains his process it sounds like nonsense to me.”Harbour joins a handful of actors in recent months who have spoken out against method acting. “Hannibal” favorite Mads Mikkelsen railed against the process in an April interview, saying, “It’s bullshit.
But preparation, you can take into insanity. What if it’s a shit film — what do you think you achieved? Am I impressed that you didn’t drop character?
Read more on variety.com