Aaron Sorkin is next in the line of succession for defending Jeremy Strong.
Sorkin, who worked with Strong on Molly's Game and The Trial of the Chicago 7, released a lengthy statement defending the actor following an in-depth New Yorker article about his acting philosophy and methods.
Journalist Michael Schulman interviewed Sorkin for the article over email, so The West Wing alum said he wanted to "speak up" after Schulman used his written responses to create a "distorted picture of Jeremy that asks us to roll our eyes at his acting process." Actress Jessica Chastain posted Sorkin's statement on social media on his behalf.
In the letter, Sorkin gave his glowing recommendation of the Succession star, who plays Kendall Roy onscreen. "Jeremy Strong is a great actor and a great company member. There isn't a writer, director or producer on Earth who wouldn't grab at the chance to cast him," he said.
Sorkin also shared the five questions Schulman allegedly sent him, along with his full emailed responses.
When asked for examples of Strong's "very specific, very immersive acting process," Sorkin said he replied, "Jeremy's not a nut. He doesn't make people call him by his character's name on the set."
Sorkin continued, "But he builds himself an on-ramp so that he's already started to give the performance by the time the director calls 'action.' He'd have off-duty police officers who were working as extras rough him up before a shot, he'd get the crowd whipped up, he doesn't rest between shots."
Per the letter, the reporter later asked if Sorkin remembered Strong wanting to be sprayed with tear gas on the set of The Trial of the Chicago 7.
"Yes, he asked if he could be hit with tear gas in the first confrontation with the police," Sorkin replied. "I don't like saying no to Jeremy but there were 200 people in that scene and another 70 on the crew so I declined to spray them with poison gas."
Schulman also sent a question about pranks Strong pulled on the set of The Trial of the Chicago 7, according to Sorkin's statement.
"The characters that Jeremy and Sacha [Baron Cohen] played—Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman—felt it was their responsibility, every day of the trial, to demonstrate to the judge that they had no respect for the trial," he responded. "Jeremy and Sacha brought that onto the set with them every day. Every once in a while I'd say, 'Great. Let's do it again and this time, Jeremy, maybe don't play the kazoo in the middle of Frank Langella's monologue.'"
Sorkin, who compared Strong to Dustin Hoffman at one point, noted that only some of his answers made it into the final New Yorker article. And while that's "perfectly normal," he pointed out the quotes were about the tear gas and kazoo.
Sorkin clarified, "Let me be clear, Jeremy would never suggest endangering a member of the cast or crew or anyone else. It was something he mentioned in passing and I was telling the story affectionately and as a way of demonstrating his commitment."
He added that Strong would never "consider disrespecting an actor," including Langella.
In response, a spokesperson for The New Yorker told E! News in a statement that the article is "a nuanced, multi-sided portrait of an extremely dedicated actor. It has inspired a range of reactions from people, including many who say that they are even more impressed by Jeremy Strong's artistry after having read the article."
The director's comments came after Chastain also stood up for Strong in an impassioned post. "Ive known Jeremy Strong for 20yrs & worked with him on 2 films. Hes a lovely person," she wrote earlier this week. "Very inspiring & passionate about his work. The profile that came out on him was incredibly one sided. Don't believe everything you read folks."
She ended with, "Snark sells but maybe its time we move beyond it."
In addition to Sorkin's quotes, The New Yorker article also stated that Strong allegedly "refuses to rehearse" at times and isolates himself from other cast members on the HBO show. "The result that Jeremy gets is always pretty tremendous," co-star Brian Cox said of his process. "I just worry about what he does to himself. I worry about the crises he puts himself through in order to prepare."
Cox has since expanded on some of his statements. On Late Night with Seth Meyers, the actor explained, "The thing about Jeremy's approach is it works in terms of what comes out the other end."
He went on, "My problem—and, it's not a problem, I don't have a problem with Jeremy because he's delightful. ...He's an extraordinary dad. He's a pretty unique individual. But he does get obsessed with the work."
Before publishing the article, Schulman tweeted, "Heads up: I have a new New Yorker profile coming out tomorrow, reported over six months and in three different countries. The subject is one of the most intense people I have ever met in my life."
E! News has reached out to Strong's rep for comment.