Interview
Brian Cox: Why Succession struck a chord
- Brian Cox reflects on the "universal and archetypal" nature of his role as Logan Roy in Succession, drawing direct parallels to the title character in Shakespeare's King Lear and noting the character's monosyllabic, misanthropic traits.
- Cox argues that Logan's villainy stems from trauma and "conditions and conditioning" rather than innate evil, asserting that the character's humanity lies in his deep, albeit inexpressible, love for his children.
- The actor states he shares Logan's "deep disappointment with the human experiment," particularly regarding current global crises and cultural division.
- Succession premiered with its first read-through occurring on the day of Donald Trump's election, a moment Cox describes as an "irony" following his own Scottish prediction that Hillary Clinton would win.
- Cox contends the show's resonance is tied to the "Trumpy Zeitgeist," capturing the era's political polarization, media-politics intersection, and dysfunctional family dynamics.
- While often viewed as satire targeting the American right, Cox suggests the show's critique of dynastic power applies equally to left-leaning families, including the Bidens, who are still embedded in the broader American political system.
- Cox highlights the show's use of comedy and satire to create detachment, allowing audiences to engage with the "love to hate" dynamic without becoming swept away in a purely tragic narrative.
- Discussing social mobility in the British acting industry, Cox contrasts the 1960s era of state grants and encouragement for actors from working-class backgrounds (like himself from Dundee) with today's "feudal" system.
- Cox asserts that the current rise of the wealthy and "posh" has severely impacted social mobility, noting it is now significantly harder for actors from poorer backgrounds to succeed compared to the previous generation.
- He acknowledges the institutional advantages of elite schools like Eton and Harrow in producing stars like Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch, while lamenting the "slack" in society that ignores less privileged sectors.
- Cox emphasizes the need to ensure artistic opportunities are available to "all" of society rather than just a specific section, warning against the re-emergence of class-based barriers in the arts.
- The podcast, The Economist Asks, features Cox alongside Anne to explore the flaws of the Logan Roy character and the show's alignment with America's current cultural climate.