What's the deal with method acting?

It seems pretty kooky to me but what do I know?

They say Daniel Day Lewis is a total nut about method acting, he built a log cabin camp to prep for Last Of The Mohicans and ran around talking like Honest Abe for Lincoln lol

Seems a bit weird🙄

I saw this recently from Robert Pattinson re method acting;

Though Pattinson respects the practice of method acting – a technique in which a performer strives for complete emotional identification with a role, both on and off screen – it’s not a style which he practices himself. “I always say about people who do method acting, you only ever see people do the method when they’re playing an a–hole,” Pattinson admitted. “You never see someone being lovely to everyone while they’re really deep in character.”

Rather than remain in character throughout an entire production, Pattinson prefers to focus his energy exclusively while the camera is rolling. “I need to know when you’re on stage and when you’re off stage. I need to know that between action and cut, that’s the thing. That’s the safe space. I need to know it ends. I need to know there’s a cut coming, and then I’ll feel safe. If it just feels like you can’t get out, that’s when you go crazy.”

Whilst I admire many method actors, this story about method acting always makes me laugh. During the filming of Marathon Man Dustin Hoffman said to his co-star Sir Laurence Olivier that since Dustin’s character had to be awake for three days and three nights, Dustin had decided to physically stay awake that long as well. Sir Laurence replied with “Why don’t you just try acting?”

Try saying that with a Seinfeld voice. It's fun!

Jerry: So what's the deal with method acting? Is it methodic? Is it acting?