Few actors today are willing to say exactly what they think, but thankfully, we’ve still got Brian Cox. The former star of Succession released his memoir in 2022, and in it, he was unsparing about his feelings on various actors in the industry. He said Steven Seagal was “as ludicrous in real life as he appears on screen,” and described Quentin Tarantino’s work as “meretricious.”
Around that time, Cox also made his opinions known on his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong. Specifically, Cox expressed some skepticism about Strong’s method approach to his character. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Cox made it clear that his opinion about Strong’s approach hasn’t changed.
Cox said that Strong would be “an even better actor if he just got rid of that so there would be much more inclusiveness in what he did,” adding that his former co-star’s approach wasn’t good for the overall ensemble. “It creates hostility,” he added.
Back in 2023, Cox discussed Strong’s approach in even more depth, saying that Strong was talented, but his approach was all wrong.
“Oh, it’s f**king annoying. Don’t get me going on it,” Cox told Town & Country in 2023. “He’s a very good actor,” Cox added. “And the rest of the ensemble is all OK with this. But knowing a character and what the character does is only part of the skill set.”
“He’s still that guy because he feels if he went somewhere else, he’d lose it,” the actor added. “But he won’t! Strong is talented. He’s f**king gifted. When you’ve got the gift, celebrate the gift. Go back to your trailer and have a hit of marijuana, you know?”
