Jeremy Strong’s ‘Succession’ Co-Stars Address His Method Acting
Jeremy Strong raised eyebrows with his commitment to method acting — and not all of his Succession costars were on board.
The hit HBO series, which premiered in 2018, centers on a wealthy family as they fight for control of their father’s company amid his declining health. Strong, who brings Logan’s (Brian Cox) heir apparent Kendall to life, surprised viewers when his commitment to the role was the focus of a profile for The New Yorker.
The Golden Globe winner’s costars didn’t seem thrilled by Strong’s behavior when cameras weren’t rolling. In response, Strong noted that his method may come off as “difficult” to others, saying, “Sometimes there must even be room for necessary roughness.”
Following backlash, Strong called the profile a “pretty profound betrayal” of his trust. The Selma star admitted that comments from his costars about his preference for method acting hurt his feelings.
“A lot of that is just things that are presented out of context or with a certain agenda,” he told The Hollywood Reporter that same month. “I know what everybody said, and there was an angle and a narrative that was being presented. Which is not to say that there was never friction between my costars. We’re a family in every sense of the word. But foundationally, there’s deep respect and even love.”
Scroll down for candid quotes from the Succession cast about Strong’s talent:
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Kieran Culkin
For the New Yorker article, Culkin was quoted as saying that Strong’s work ethic “might be something that helps” him. “I can tell you that it doesn’t help me,” the New York native, who plays Roman in Succession, added.
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Brian Cox
The Braveheart actor weighed in on Strong’s approach to his work, telling the New Yorker in December 2021, “The result that Jeremy gets is always pretty tremendous. I just worry about what he does to himself. I worry about the crises he puts himself through in order to prepare.”
Cox later referred to his costar’s method acting as “f—king annoying,” telling Town & Country in February 2023, “Don’t get me going on it. [Strong] is a very good actor. And the rest of the ensemble is all OK with this. But knowing a character and what the character does is only part of the skill set.”
In March 2023, the England native referred to Strong as a “wonderful actor” during an interview with Variety, but explained there’s a “cultural clash” between how they each approach the craft.
“I don’t put up with all that American sh-t. I’m sorry. All that sort of ‘I think, therefore I feel,’” he told the outlet. “Just do the job. Don’t identify.”
Cox referenced Daniel Day-Lewis’ career, claiming that method acting was his reason for early retirement.
“He retired at the age of 55, and I’m going, ‘That’s when the roles become really interesting. You’ve retired just at the point when actually the roles get better!’” he explained. “Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan.”
In a December 2024 interview with The Guardian, Cox further stated that Strong was “wonderful to act with,” insisting he had “no argument with Jeremy’s acting.” However, he noted, “He would be an even better actor if he just got rid of that, so there would be much more inclusiveness in what he did.”
Cox further told the outlet about the difficulties of working with a cast member who was “permanently” in character. “Well, it’s not good for the ensemble. It creates hostility. That’s the problem,” he said.
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Sarah Snook
“Jeremy is great. He is a very singular, unique person and actor and he works in a different way than other people,” Snook, who portrays Shiv, said during an episode of Variety‘s “Awards Circuit” podcast in December 2021. “We all work in different ways. We all have a different process.”
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Nicholas Braun
The Emmy nominee, who plays Greg, recalled how accomplished he felt when he got Strong to break character on set, telling GQ in February 2023, “I’ve had two or three times where he’s broken, and it’s been in one-on-one scenes. So I feel very proud about that. Usually, he is unbreakable. It’s incredible.”
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Matthew Macfadyen
In July 2022, the Pride and Prejudice actor slammed the ongoing conversations about Strong’s acting methods.
“I find it slightly aggravating because — it makes [the show] about one thing. It’s an ensemble piece [and] [Strong] is not the main event,” Macfadyen, who plays Tom, told Vanity Fair about his concerns that the rest of the cast was being overlooked. “It’s not about what I’m feeling or what state I’ve got myself in before, or any of that. That’s not to say that’s wrong. That’s just not useful.”
