Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook). Tom also makes up one-half of the show's hilariously unwitting comedy duo along with Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun), the bumbling yet opportunistic great-nephew of media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox).
The Emmy Award-winning series created by Jesse Armstrong and produced by Adam McKay centers on the Waystar RoyCo CEO Logan Roy and his four adult children as they vie for a piece of the pie. Roy's oldest son from his current marriage is Kendall (played by Strong), who is constantly trying to oust his father from the company, to no avail. Strong won an Emmy Award in 2020 for his performance as Kendall, though his commitment to method acting has been controversial. Those who know and work with Strong have rushed to his defense, such as his longtime friend Michelle Williams. However, Cox said Strong's antics can be "exhausting" to his co-stars, though they tolerate it because they "love him" and the "result is always extraordinary."
Now, another one of Strong's co-stars on Succession is sharing their thoughts on his method acting. In a profile by Vanity Fair, Macfadyen offered an indirect defense of Strong, saying he finds the discourse a little frustrating since he views Succession as a true "ensemble piece," in which Strong's method acting is "not the main event." Read what Macfadyen said below:
I find it slightly aggravating because—it makes [the show] about one thing, and it’s an ensemble piece. You think of J. Smith-Cameron and Alan Ruck, who are f*cking extraordinary actors. [Strong] is not the main event. I look at Jeremy — that’s Kendall Roy, and so my heart starts banging a bit faster. Because I’ve made the imaginative leap. Because that’s my job. 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.
The ongoing debate over Strong's method acting was sparked by a New Yorker profile late last year which painted a rather unflattering portrait of the actor. The piece detailed Strong's demands to be tear-gassed while filming The Trial of the Chicago 7 in which he played Jerry Rubin, one of the titular anti-Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy. The film's writer/director Aaron Sorkin was one of the first to come to Strong's defense, saying the article presented a “distorted picture of Jeremy.”
Macfadyen is now the latest to have worked with Strong to opine on his method acting, an often controversial practice that frequently results in allegations of inappropriate on-set behavior, unprofessionalism, or simply "taking things too far." It's hard to argue with the Succession star's take on the matter, as Macfadyen resents the implication that actors who don't pursue the process aren't as invested or committed as those who do. He personally doesn't find method acting useful, but doesn't condemn those who do.
Source: Vanity Fair