Jeremy Strong has spoken out about his New Yorker piece, which provided some insight into his acting technique. Strong told Vanity Fair at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2 that the plot felt like a “deep breach of trust.” For the uninitiated, the New Yorker piece on the Succession star, which was published on December 5, 2021, stated that the actor’s style of acting might generate conflict with his co-actors. The feature, titled On Succession, Jeremy Strong Doesn’t Get the Joke, quickly became a top story.
The actor described the tale as “painful” and “foolish,” adding:
“The noise and fog following it: I believe it’s something that, ultimately, what I care about as an actor is trying to feel as free as possible.” Part of it is attempting to shield yourself from all of that, as well as what others may say or think about you. You must liberate yourself from it.”
Ive known Jeremy Strong for 20yrs & worked with him on 2 films. Hes a lovely person. Very inspiring & passionate about his work. The profile that came out on him was incredibly one sided. Don’t believe everything you read folks. Snark sells but maybe its time we move beyond it.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) December 8, 2021
Here’s what Jeremy Strong had to say about his controversial New Yorker feature.
Strong said at his appearance at the Telluride Film Festival for the film Armageddon Time that the piece published in The New Yorker about him did not sit well with him. Strong, 43, said that the profile “probably ultimately spoke more about the person writing it and their viewpoint, which is a fair opinion than it did about who I believe I am and what I’m about.” He mentioned:
“It was excruciating. I felt stupid. One of the most important hidden weapons an actor may have is the capacity to bear feeling silly.”
When asked how he approaches his roles, the actor stated:
“It’s difficult to speak about acting without seeming self-important, but it’s something I take extremely seriously, care about, and have spent my life to.”
Jeremy Strong is supported by his co-stars.
While the story implied that Strong’s approach to acting may lead to difficulties with his co-stars, several Hollywood celebrities defended him and spoke out against the piece. One such celebrity was Oscar winner Jessica Chastain, who described Strong as “inspiring and enthusiastic about his job.” She wrote on Twitter:
“I’ve known Jeremy Strong for 20 years and collaborated with him on two projects. He’s a wonderful guy. He is really motivating and enthusiastic about his job. The profile that was published about him was very biased. Folks, don’t trust everything you read. Snark sells, but maybe it’s time to move on. [sic]”
Anne Hathaway came to Instagram to show her support for Jeremy Strong, posting a photo of him winning an Emmy prize. Her caption said in part:
“As the week comes to a close, I’d want to express my gratitude to Jeremy Strong, whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with twice and whom I am glad to call a friend. I like his thoughtfulness, honesty, authenticity, sweetness, depth, compassion, and generosity, as well as his great intellect and exceptional sensitivity.”
Justine Lupe, Jeremy Strong’s co-star in Succession, said that The New Yorker piece on him demonstrated his “relentless dedication.”