{"id":18362,"date":"2023-04-12T15:15:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=18362"},"modified":"2023-04-12T15:15:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:15:50","slug":"kieran-culkin-on-succession-ending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2023\/04\/12\/kieran-culkin-on-succession-ending\/","title":{"rendered":"Kieran Culkin On Succession Ending"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With 13 Emmys under its belt already, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2020 and 2022, Succession<\/em> is back for its fourth season, first on Showmax, with media billionaire Logan Roy\u2019s sale of Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd) looming ever closer. It\u2019s a prospect that provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roy children as they anticipate their diminished cultural and political influence once the deal is completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created by Oscar nominee Jesse Armstrong (Veep<\/em>), Succession<\/em> is one of the highest-rated shows of all time on IMDb<\/em>. Season 4 has a 97% critics\u2019 ratings on Rotten Tomatoes <\/em>– the sixth highest of the year so far – with Vulture<\/em> calling Succession<\/em> \u201ca shining example of the best qualities of TV\u201d and Indiewire<\/em> hailing it as \u201cthe end all, be all of TV.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spoke to Kieran Culkin about the acclaimed show and his Emmy-nominated role as Roman Roy.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Did you know this would be the final season while filming?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was that feeling all the way through when we were doing four. We had a meeting at the start where Jesse told me that he thought it’s the end, but he wasn\u2019t sure. And then he just explained to me the entire season. When he finished, I said: \u201cWell, that to me sort of sounds like the end.\u201d And he goes: \u201cIt could be, but the story can go like this…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he threw out three different ideas \u2013 that he said was off the top of his head \u2013 that were [each] a brilliant season five idea. And he said: \u201cI don’t know; we’ll just have to see.\u201d So as we went along, there was sort of a “will he, won’t he?” feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So doing the read for [episode] 10 felt like this could be a good [ending], or there could be more. Then when he made that announcement, I actually kind of felt a sense of relief in a way. A closure. Just like: “Good. If you’re gonna break up with me, just do it already. Don’t leave me hanging.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the start of this new season, Roman says he is the only one who wants to start a new business for business reasons. Why is that?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Unlike Kendall or Shiv] he doesn’t want to f*ck anyone. Um, they accuse him of being afraid of dad, which would be… legit. Because I think, as Tom says in the last season: “I’ve never seen him eat sh*t once”, or something like that. Like, Logan never loses. So there is that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I don’t think that that’s Roman\u2019s fear. I think there\u2019s something very exciting to him about working with his siblings. Because outside of there being some sort of business to talk about, there really isn’t any reason for them to get together. And Roman doesn’t really have much else \u2013 or anyone else \u2013 in his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t think he has a tonne of friends. I don’t think he really has the capacity, based on his childhood and the way he was raised, to just be able to express himself emotionally and say: \u201cHey, I kind of miss you, can we hang out?\u201d I don’t think that would happen. He even tries to approach that at one point and says: \u201cCan we talk to each other normally?\u201d And they just make fun of him. They just don’t know how to communicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I think when they got cut out [by Logan], it’s like: \u201cOh, no, what are we going to do? What am I going to do? I don’t have any family. I don’t have friends. I got you guys, and I don’t know how to communicate with you.\u201d So the idea of starting a business together is great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now taking that [idea] and going in this direction shows that we can lose \u2013 and we can lose everything. And dad’s very good at pitting us against each other. So I think there’s a lot of fears like that for Roman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian Cox is of the opinion that Roman is the most business-minded, and has the most potential. But his potty mouth gets in the way.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, I mean, Logan has the biggest potty mouth! Worse than Roman, I would say. And look at how far that got him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is true. Does that potential make Roman, of all the children, the most likely successor at this point?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would say so. And I have been saying it for a couple of years. If it had to be given to one of his children, I do think Roman is in the best position for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s funny that Brian said the most \u201cbusiness-minded\u201d. Maybe that’s right. I don’t think he has a firm grasp on how all business works. But he’s seen the way that dad handles business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Roman tried to work through the ranks, the way that some people do in the company, I don’t think that would work. He would have to do it the way Logan did it, [which is] start the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think if he were handed that [opportunity], I think he could do it. Because he’s the most like his father, in terms of having a lot of bluster, blagging things and making hard decisions. And having a clear vision on what you want, without trying to reinvent the wheel. Which I think is what his other kids would try to do. Which is where they fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this upcoming series, is there more mileage in the Roman\/Gerri situationship?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tune in, motherf*cker! You’ll have to see!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love sparring with J! What’s great about it is, this show in general never does a heavy lean into anything. It sort of leans away a bit. So when there’s something like that \u2013 when there’s something happening with these two characters \u2013 they like to play with it a little. There’s never a full lean in or away. There’s never a full relationship. Nor is there a big blow-out. It’s nice to play in that area, without defining it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally: do you come away from this show liking Roman?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t know. Yeah. I mean… I don’t know. No. Do you like yourself? No, see? It’s sort of that. You get to sort of be him a bit, and then it’s not that nice. But I don’t know. He is who he is. I’ll miss him, I guess\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season 4\u2019s returning cast also includes Matthew Macfadyen and Jeremy Strong in their Emmy-winning roles as Tom Wambsgans and Kendall Roy respectively, alongside Brian Cox as Logan Roy, Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy, Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch, and J Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman – all Emmy-nominated performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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