‘Succession’ Cast Calls Jeremy Strong Asking Strangers Bizarre Question For Sake of Method Acting a “Joke”
Jeremy Strong, known for his portrayal of Kendall Roy on the acclaimed HBO series Succession, has always been dedicated to perfecting his performance as the overlooked son. However, his commitment has drawn criticism in the past, even from his co-star and on-screen father, Brian Cox. As the fourth and final season of the show approaches, another story has emerged about Strong’s unwavering devotion to his character, this time from Saturday Night Live and Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens star Bowen Yang.
During a recent episode of his podcast Las Culturistas, Yang shared an anecdote about an encounter with Strong on set. As both shows were filming in close proximity, Strong happened to wander over to the neighboring set of Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens while cameras were rolling.
Read More: Succession Star Brian Cox Reveals Why He Rejected Game of Thrones
What Did Bowen Yang Say About Jeremy Strong?
During the May 24 episode of the podcast Las Culturistas, Bowen Yang, co-host and actor on Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens, shared an intriguing story about Jeremy Strong’s behavior while filming near the set of Succession. Yang described the incident as evidence of Strong’s playful and ironic nature.
He explained-
“The most recent season of ‘Nora From Queens’ shot at the same studio as this season of ‘Succession.’ The ‘Nora From Queens’ production office was pretty close to the ‘Succession’ stages and their production office, and as we famously know, Jeremy Strong is a method actor. At one point, Jeremy walks into the ‘Nora From Queens’ production office and says, ‘Excuse me, do you know where the bathroom is?’ and then someone in the office is like, ‘Yeah, it’s just down the hall to the left.’ He goes, ‘Thank you so much,’ and he leaves.”
Yang continued:
“Ten minutes pass, and a production assistant from ‘Succession’ comes into the office and goes, ‘Hi, was Jeremy just in here?’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, he was — he went to the bathroom.’ Then this PA goes, ‘Did he ask where it was? Did he come here to ask you where the bathroom was?’ They were like, ‘Yeah, why?’ and the PA says, ‘He has a scene today where he has to ask someone where the bathroom is.’ I think that is method to such a ridiculous degree that he must be in on the joke.”
Jeremy Strong’s Unconventional Acting Approach Has Been Criticized Before
In December 2021, actor Jeremy Strong, known for his role as Kendall Roy in the award-winning HBO drama Succession, became the subject of intense online discussion following a viral New Yorker profile. Written by Michael Schulman, the article shed light on Jeremy Strong’s unconventional acting methods and portrayed him as a demanding method actor.
In the profile, Strong revealed that he approaches his portrayal of Kendall with utmost seriousness, stating that the stakes feel like a matter of life and death. The piece drew attention not only for its portrayal of his intense dedication but also for the quotes provided by his Succession co-stars, hinting at a potential lack of popularity among the cast.
Kieran Culkin, who plays Strong’s on-screen brother, Roman Roy, struggled to articulate his process, claiming he couldn’t fully comprehend it.
Another contributor to the article was Brian Cox, who portrays Logan Roy, the ruthless founder of Waystar Royco and the patriarch of the Roy family. While expressing concern for Strong, Cox also subtly criticized his wholehearted approach to the role.
Overall, the New Yorker profile sparked controversy and was characterized by some as a negative portrayal, resembling a “sneering character assassination.”
Source: Variety
