While Brian Cox can be considered a true veteran of the arts, his big claim to superstardom was through the hit HBO series, Succession. The Shakespearean actor who played the charismatic and uncompromising billionaire and patriarch Logan Roy impressed audiences and critics with his powerful performance in the show.
In the final season of the series, the makers took a huge decision early on in the episodes, by killing off Brian Cox’s character. While hardcore fans of Succession were harshly critical of this move, and questioned the end of one of the most iconic characters, Cox himself spoke in favor of his exit, which he said, was needed for what the show symbolized.
Brian Cox Defends His Succession Exit Amidst Fan Criticisms
If Logan Roy from Succession dominated for a good period of time as one of television’s most popular characters, the credit goes fully to Brian Cox. The Scottish veteran who played the unsympathetic antagonist in the blockbuster show, made audiences across the world sit up and take notice of his performance. Shockingly, Cox’s character made an exit in the early part of Season 4, which led to viewers criticizing the makers for this decision.
Despite the backlash from fans regarding his character’s demise, Brian Cox defended the path that was envisioned for Logan Roy in the show. Making an appearance in The Late Show with Seth Meyers, the celebrity elaborated on the significance of the show’s title, and why it was imperative that his character’s journey ended the way it did.
“I had people saying, ‘Oh No, I’m not gonna watch it anymore. You’ve gone. Im not gonna watch it.’ I said, ‘But the show is called Succession’. That’s the whole point of the show. You have to have the succession. But you, know, people can be so dumb, you know?”
While Cox’s explanation makes perfect sense, the fact remains that he was the face of the show, and his absence in most parts of the final season was definitely felt by his ardent fans.
Why Brian Cox Worried About His Succession Character
Hollywood star Brian Cox became globally recognizable after his powerful portrayal of a fearsome and charismatic patriarch in the blockbuster series Succession. Coz played the role with such conviction, that viewers were unable to separate him from the character. The Churchill actor though, felt that this might end up becoming a problem for him as he took up different projects in the future. In an interview with The Times, Cox elaborated on this aspect and said,
“Having played Logan Roy, I resent the fact, or I’m sad about the fact, that I’ve lost my anonymity, which was one of the things that served me well. It’s one of the great roles and there’s nothing I can do about it. You get hoisted by your own petard. Hopefully I’m not going to be defined by it, but we’ll see.”
Now that Cox has bid adieu to Succession after his character’s demise in Season 4, the star revealed that he had plans to return to the stage for a few projects before taking on other movie commitments.
