What Makes The “Succession” Cast Award-Worthy?!

At the 28th annual Screen Actor Guild Awards, the critically-acclaimed “Succession” took home the award for Best Ensemble -- for good reason. Up against the casts for “Squid Game”, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The Morning Show”, and “Yellowstone”, the cast of HBO's “Succession” stood behind Brian Cox as he accepted their award, aptly pointing out the ways the entertainment business is being silenced through the Ukrainian-Russian War. Brian Cox, who plays the patriarchal Logan Roy, wore a mask that sums up his explosive character in two words: "F*** Off." 

You’ve heard of “Succession”. Everyone has. You’d have to live under a rock to not. HBO’s hit drama focuses around the Roy family with 4 power-driven children controlled by their excessively wealthy father, Logan Roy, who has built the Disney-esque company Waystar RoyCo from the ground up. The show takes place during a period of aggressive health decline from Logan as his children Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Connor (Alan Ruck) decide who should take the helm of the ship in place of their father. Other notable characters include the awkward Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) and his tormentor, Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfayden), and Logan Roy’s third wife, Marcia Roy (Hiam Abbass). 

Looking at the list of other contenders -- particularly “Squid Game”, Netflix’s 2021 hit that crazed the nation for its gory, deceptively simplistic mind games -- one surely wonders how “Succession” pulled through and won Best Ensemble. However, anyone who has seen the show can tell you how effectively this cast works to create such a commanding, collective performance.  

Each “Succession” character serves a basic role and archetype within the family -- Kendall is the golden boy, seemingly bred to run the company once his father leaves; Roman is the screwup; Shiv wants nothing to do with her father’s legacy; and Connor is good-natured; Logan is terribly mean and kniving; Tom basks in wealth; and Cousin Greg is a mistake. All of them stand out in a very identifiable way, but they each fit together like puzzle pieces in a way that should not work but totally does -- kind of like milkshakes and French fries, or BTS and Megan Thee Stallion.

These characters are not tip-toing around one another, like other nominated casts for Best Ensemble have been doing. This show begins years into the most complicated family legacy you have ever witnessed; brothers and a sister who know one another’s weakest points and are unafraid to use them against them, all while catering to their father’s excessive demands to protect a birthright they aren’t even sure is theirs. Every room they walk into is comfortable, every word they say is pointed. There is no beating around the bush when you’ve already hacked away at it with a chainsaw. 

“Succession” is a lot of things -- brilliant, inquiring, morally gray -- but it is mostly deserving of this incredible award thanks to its stellar actors. All 3 seasons (so far) of this HBO show are available to watch on HBO Max, Amazon Prime (for rent), and Hulu!