Succession star Brian Cox weighs in on Kevin Spacey returning to Hollywood and reuniting with Jeremy Strong.
Brian Cox, the forever-outspoken actor who stunned audiences with his performance as Logan Roy for HBO’s Succession, is opening up about some of the more hot-button topics of his career. Outlets love to ask Cox big questions, hoping to generate an eye-catching headline. The latest bold-type banner article hails from The Hollywood Reporter, which asks Brian Cox about the state of Kevin Spacey’s Hollywood comeback and working alongside Jeremy Strong on the final season of Succession after Cox critiqued his acting methods.
Addressing cancel culture, Cox opened up about Kevin Spacey’s return to the silver screen, saying that although he thinks Spacey’s behavior was “a little unseamly,” he should be able to return to work.
“I just think Kevin had certain things which he couldn’t or didn’t admit to, and I think it was a strain on him in many ways,” Cox explains. “And for me, that was Kevin’s only difficulty. But he’s a very fine actor, and I like Kevin a lot. He’s very funny. I met with him recently. I think he’s been through it. He’s had the kicking that some people think he deserved. He’s ready to get back in the saddle again, and people are trying to stop him from doing that. And I really do go back to, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Maybe he got too out of hand, but I don’t think he should be punished endlessly for it. There should be a case of forgive and forget. Let’s move on. I think he should be given the opportunity to come back to work.”
In THR’s interview, the outlet also mentions a 2021 New Yorker profile in which Cox critiqued Jeremy Strong’s acting methods. Curious to know how the duo got along while filming the final season of Succession, THR asked Cox if there was any tension on the set. Fortunately, Cox said they behaved like professionals and focused on the work.
“We just got on with our job,” Cox said. “We get on with what we’re doing. We’re not going to buy into that thing with Jeremy. Jeremy was Daniel Day-Lewis’ assistant. So that is where you can see a massive influence on how Jeremy prepares for his work. But to act with Jeremy is extraordinary. He’s a great actor. I just think the way he works is not the way I work, in the way that [how] Dan Day-Lewis works is not the way I work. Again, it’s horses for courses.”
While Brian Cox can appear unapproachable and gruff, he’s a professional above all else. The work comes first, and what works for one person might feel foreign to the next. Actors are a particular lot, and there’s no telling how any individual prepares to transform into another. It’s “horses for courses,” as Brian would say, meaning different people are suited for different jobs or situations.
