Brian Cox Reflects On Playing Logan Roy In “Succession”

Everything has been leading up to this – the bloodbath between HBO’s most dysfunctional, despicable family as they fight to the bitter end for the CEO position. After 4 seasons worth of scheming, backstabbing, and WTF moments, the “Succession” finale is almost here. Given everything we’ve witness so far, it seems unlikely that the penultimate episode will be tied up in a neat bow.

There’s no doubt that Logan Roy’s lasting legacy won’t be his media company the Waystar RoyCo, but rather his ruthless parenting style. Still, Brian Cox explains that it is also his Achilles heel. In this interview, the 76-year-old talks about Logan’s motivation for choosing Lukas Matsson over his own kids and the decisions he’s made throughout the series.

Q: When we left Logan Roy at the end of series three: what was he up to? He seemed poise to sell Waystar Royco to GoJo CEO Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). 

Brian Cox: I think the point is: he’s been looking for the successor. And he’s been looking [to his children], he’s really wanted his own family [to take over]. I mean, that’s his Achilles heel. He loves his children. If he didn’t love his children, he’d be a much freer man. But he loves his kids. And they’re just constantly, avariciously, restlessly disappointing, because of their own sense of avarice.

Q: How does Logan’s own personality play into that?

Of course, he’s got this temperament. And he’s got this sense of absolutism. And also, he’s misanthropic. He’s become misanthropic because, I think, he is an abused child. So in a way, he’s not able to function in the right way.

Q: Why is giving control to Matsson more appealing than letting one of his children assume the succession?

With these kids, their sense of entitlement is so beyond the pale. And I think Matsson reminds Logan of who Logan was, as a young man. And he feels that the business would be safe in his hands. He’s thought all along that that would have been his children. That’s what he’s wanted. But none of the children have been able to step up to the plate. They’ve all proved massively disappointing.

Q: So he’s had to ally with Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen), who, at the climax of the last series, we saw turning against Shiv (Sarah Snook), his own wife…

Yeah. Well, again, Logan’s witnessed Tom’s abuse, from Shiv. And he’s witnessed the result of that abuse. Tom was a country boy, a simple lad from Minnesota, who came over [to New York and the company], was a bit tiresome… But also there were elements, a few moments, when Tom stepped up to the plate to take care of Logan. Nobody’s ever taken care of Logan. But he did. Tom showed that care and attention.

Q: I don’t think many viewers would have pegged Tom as a possible future company boss…

In a sense, Logan’s seen Tom as a possible future, but has also been wanting to give him the credence he deserves. It’s been a long journey for that. But finally the penny’s dropped. And when the children are behaving the way they do, he needs an ally within the family. He realises the one person who’s going through agony, though it doesn’t manifest itself in that way – because Tom can be so front-footed about it, especially in this complicated relationship he has with Nicholas Braun’s character, Greg. 

Q: What changes has this show made to your life?

Enormous changes. Because Logan Roy is such a formidable character. The older I get as an actor, it’s more in what is not said than what is said. So I think Logan is still a mysterious character in many ways, even though he’s rude and bloody-minded and all of those things. But there’s still something that’s mysterious about Logan, there’s still some secret there that you haven’t gone on to. 

Catch the final season of “Succession” only on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO GO.