Movies

Jeremy Strong says playing Kendall Roy on ‘Succession’ messed with his head, big time

BBG News

As a seasoned film enthusiast who has had the privilege of witnessing some truly captivating performances, I must say that Jeremy Strong‘s portrayal of Kendall Roy in “Succession” was nothing short of extraordinary. However, as a fellow artist, I can empathize with his struggle to separate his identity from the character he embodied so profoundly for seven years.

Even after portraying Kendall Roy in the critically acclaimed “Succession” series didn’t provide enough challenge for Jeremy Strong, his character continues to impact the actor, who refers to himself as experiencing “identity fragmentation.

In a conversation with The Sunday Times, I, Strong (45 years old), shared my feelings about the intense role I played as the troubled eldest son from 2018 to 2023, both on and off-screen, which left me drained. My unconventional acting techniques, known for their intensity, even brought me into conflict with my co-star and on-screen father, Brian Cox, and caused the show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, to express concerns, as they found me quite unsettling at times.

After returning from a peaceful retreat to recharge, the Tony Award-winning actor revealed that he visualized distressing scenarios to psychologically prepare for portraying Kendall. He admitted that during filming the series, there were times when he “misplaced joy,” but only recently has he “rekindled playfulness” once again.

His character, who schemed to succeed his ailing father as chief executive of the fictional Waystar Royco media and entertainment conglomerate, earned Strong his first Emmy Award in 2020, as well as two additional nominations. (The series earned 19 Primetime Emmys, six of them earlier this year for its fourth and final season.)

As a devoted fan, I can’t express enough how profoundly that series felt like an immeasurable treasure. Each episode was a feast, truly. Yet, I find myself yearning for its return. However, carrying Kendall’s struggle for seven seasons was a heavy burden. And there are countless other stories I long to explore, which is why the idea of a Kendall spinoff no longer resides in my imagination.

“I’m aware it is one of the main chapters of my life, but I don’t miss it,” he said.

During a conversation with the Los Angeles Times recently, Strong discussed his character as Trump advisor Roy Cohn in the debated series “The Apprentice” and clarified that he’s not hesitant about media interactions following the 2021 publication of a widely-shared New Yorker article. In this article, some of his colleagues from “Succession” shared instances where Strong took unusual measures to portray Kendall, which resulted in criticism towards the actor.

As an ardent film enthusiast, I’ve found my sincerity has led me into some tricky situations, but I refuse to hide or mask my true self. Life is too precious to spend it pretending.

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2024-10-15 22:01

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