Introduction

In a candid interview with The Times of London, Jeremy Strong, renowned for his portrayal of Kendall Roy in HBO's acclaimed series "Succession," opened up about the mental toll the role took on him.

The Struggles of Portraying Kendall Roy

The actor, who has received both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance, stated bluntly that playing Kendall for four seasons “fucked me up.” Strong articulated the complexity of embodying Kendall's troubled psyche, expressing a deep sense of loss during his time in the character's shoes. “That show was an incalculable gift. The material was a banquet, so I miss that. But Kendall's struggle was difficult to carry for seven years," he explained. "There's just so much more I want to do.”

Moving Beyond Succession

Despite the acclaim, Strong confirmed he has no plans for a spinoff centered around Kendall Roy, emphasizing, “It’s not something I have any wish to do any longer. I’m aware it is one of the main chapters of my life, but I don’t miss it.”

Rediscovering His Passion

After wrapping up "Succession," Strong has since rediscovered his passion for acting by taking on diverse roles, including portraying Roy Cohn in the upcoming Donald Trump-centered movie "The Apprentice." He reminisced about the moment the series concluded, reflecting, “I felt a profound sense of, ‘Was this the thing? Was this the event of my life?’ I had a great determination to achieve exit velocity from it so I could attempt to do more.”

The Challenges of Typecasting

Interestingly, Strong acknowledges the challenges other actors face in moving beyond their career-defining roles, drawing parallels to stars like James Gandolfini from "The Sopranos" and Alan Alda from "M*A*S*H." However, he appears untroubled by the prospect of being typecast.

Approaching New Roles

Strong shared his approach to his new role as Roy Cohn: “I went right into Roy Cohn, partly just to sort of shake [‘Succession’] off. Roy Cohn’s influence in our country is staggering, as is his legacy of reality denial—elements that he imparted to Donald Trump. It’s the most fascinating person I’ve ever tried to inhabit.”

Creative Principles and Future Projects

In this exploration of complex characters, Strong stresses an important creative principle: “My job is to be a humanistic investigator of a subject and to withhold judgment. While I personally might have a lot of judgment about Roy Cohn, that is not the part of me that engages in the creative work.” As he moves forward, Strong exemplifies the dedication to evolve artistically, marking his path with new and challenging roles.

Conclusion

Find out how Strong transforms into these multifaceted characters and what other projects he's pursuing next—stay tuned!