HBO‘s “Succession” ends on Sunday night with its series finale to much anticipation. So how will the Roy family’s legacy ultimately end up? If Brian Cox had his way, his character Logan Roy would still have a say in the matter, as he believes series creator Jesse Armstrong wrote Logan off “too early.”
READ MORE: Brian Cox Is “More Than Ready” For ‘Succession’ To End & Is “Absolutely Delighted” To End The Roy Family’s Story
Cox’s comments come in BBC’s new interview with the actor about “Succession,” one of the first since Logan Roy died suddenly in Episode 3 of the final season. And while Cox thinks that twist is something Armstrong handled “brilliantly,” he does have mixed feelings about that creative choice. “[Armstrong] decided to make Logan die, I think ultimately too early,” Cox said on “Amol Rajan Interviews.” “I mean, he’d made him die in the third episode. And it was a great scene. That’s why I didn’t watch it, because I have no interest in watching. My own death will come soon enough. But I just thought, ‘Wow,’ you know, he did it brilliantly. It was a brilliant scene, the whole act.”
Did Cox have any say in the matter of his character getting killed off so early in the final batch of episodes? Not at all. “There’s no point going down that road,” Cox explained, “especially with somebody like Jesse, because he’s already made a plan.” And the actor had difficulty accepting Armstrong’s decision at first. “I looked on it, wrongly, as a form of rejection,” the actor continued. “I was fine with it ultimately, but I did feel a little bit rejected. I felt a little bit, ‘Oh, all the work I’ve done. And finally I’m going to end up as a New Yorker on a carpet of a plane.’”
In the interview, Cox also talks about showing up for the shoot of Logan’s funeral scene “on [his] own volition” in order to throw paparazzi off the scent of his character’s sudden demise and keep the series twist a secret. Cox’s ploy worked well, as the Waystar CEO’s death sparked controversy over the internet after Episode 3, with the show’s fans in an uproar. “They said, ‘No, I’m not going to watch anymore. You’ve gone, I’m not watching,’” the actor said about the audience reponse to his character’s passing. “Which I think is unfortunate and unnecessary because the show is about the succession. So you need to see what’s happening in in the wake of his demise. But, you know, I’m not the writer.” But Cox did admit it was hard to keep Logan’s death a secret. “I’ve never been able to keep a secret in my life,” the actor joked.
So how will “Succession” wrap this Sunday night? Cox played coy with BBC about details, but he promises an end that justifies Logan Roy’s sudden passing. “It was bold of Jesse,” Cox said about Armstrong’s creative choice, “and that’s where Jesse’s great. I mean, he’s a genius. There’s no question he’s a writing genius.” The series finale of “Succession” premieres at 9pm this Sunday, May 28.