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Succession is one of the most popular and successful originals among HBO's arsenal. Created by Jesse Armstrong, the hit series premiered on HBO in 2018. The satirical dark comedy-drama has aired three seasons till date, with its fourth and final season currently airing.
Succession revolves around the successful Roy family, who own and control a global media and entertainment conglomerate. The series portrays the internal power struggles and family dynamics of the family as they vie for control of the company.
The series has been voted among the upper echelons of the 100 top TV shows of the century by notable houses like BBC Culture and Rolling Stone. Critics have loved the wit, comedy, dysfunctional family dynamics and the obvious inspiration it takes from prominent media families.
Succession has also received multiple accolades, including the likes of 13 Emmys, five Golden Globes, five Critics' Choice, a Peabody, two Producers Guild, and four Writers Guild awards. With such an impressive catalog of awards, every aspect of the series deserves praise and recognition, be it the writing, story, scoring or performance.
Disclaimer: The views reflected in this article are purely those of the author, which may be subjective in nature.
Edward Norton, Jason Bateman, and other actors who could be great alternatives for playing the Roy siblings in HBO's Succession
The success of a series is the result of the collective hard work of the cast and crew, without whom it would not be possible. After three complete seasons of Succession, the audience and fans have completely accepted the actors for the characters they play.
While the actors have done a spectacular job, the casting team also did an amazing job and received the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy under the category of 'Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series' both in 2020 and 2022.
1) Connor Roy
Connor Roy is the eldest son of Logan Roy from his first wife. Portrayed as a wealthy and eccentric man living in New Mexico, he has a strained relationship with his family. He is a bit of an oddball and tends to be socially awkward, which often makes him the subject of ridicule by his siblings.
Connor has a complex relationship with his father and the family business, as he is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company and has no desire to be. Instead, he pursues his own interests, such as running for President of the United States, investing in a conservatory, and writing a book about the ancient Greeks.
The character is played by Alan Ruck, who has done a spectacular job portraying the sympathetic character who is like an outsider in his own family. Our pick for a recasted Connor would be Edward Norton.
Not only does he resemble the current look, but being a versatile actor with years of experience and a number of quirky roles under his belt, Norton would be the perfect second choice to play the eldest of the Roy siblings in Succession.
2) Kendall Roy
Kendall Roy is the eldest son of Logan Roy from his second marriage, and the first in line to inherit his father's empire. Introduced as a troubled and drug-addicted executive at Waystar Royco, he struggles to find his place in the company and gain his father's approval.
Kendall is portrayed as a complex character with both strengths and flaws. He is intelligent, ambitious, and fiercely competitive, but also deeply flawed and struggling with addiction and personal demons. He is often torn between his loyalty to his family and his desire to carve out his own path in life, struggling with the moral and ethical implications of his actions.
Jeremy Strong plays Kendall's character, painting a nuanced personality for the character whose development arc has become one of the central themes of Succession.
In case of a recast, our pick for the actor to play Kendall would be Jason Bateman. With his tried and tested ability to play similarly complex characters, he is a great choice for the role.
3) Roman Roy
Roman Roy is the youngest son of Logan Roy from his second marriage. He is portrayed as a witty and sarcastic executive, who often uses humor to deflect from his insecurities and struggles with his own identity. Initially presented as a reckless playboy who is not taken seriously by his family, he becomes more involved in the family's power struggles as the series progresses.
Roman's character arc is also marked by his attempts to earn his father's approval and find his place in the family business, while also grappling with his own sense of self-worth and identity. He is often in conflict with his siblings, particularly Kendall, with whom he shares a competitive relationship.
Despite his flaws, Roman is a highly intelligent and perceptive character who is able to see through the facade of those around him. Kieran Culkin has played the role to perfection, becoming one of the favorite characters in Succession. For a recast, our pick for the role would be Simon Helberg.
Helberg has shown his ability to play comedic and dramatic roles with equal skill, and would probably bring a great balance between Roman's wit, sarcasm, insecurity and identity struggle. Although he is more popular for his portrayal of Howard Wolowitz from The Big Bang Theory, it would be refreshing to see him in a more nuanced role.
4) Siobhan "Shiv" Roy
Siobhan Roy aka "Shiv" is Logan's youngest child and only daughter. She is initially presented as an outsider in the family business, having pursued her own career in politics. But as the story progresses, she becomes more involved in the family business and its internal power struggles.
Shiv's character is portrayed as a sharp and ambitious executive who is often caught between her loyalty to her family and her own aspirations. Marked by her attempts to navigate the complicated dynamics of her family and earn her father's respect, she is often in conflict with her siblings. However, she also has a compassionate and empathetic side while being committed to her values and principles.
Sarah Snook plays the character of Shiv in Succession. In case of a recast, our pick for the multi-faceted character would be Natalie Dormer.
With her past roles, Dormer has already shown her versatility in playing strong, intelligent and driven characters in a male-driven society, which makes her a prime choice to play the role of Shiv in Succession.
These are our picks of actors who could have potentially replaced the current cast of Succession. However, this does not mean that the current actors have been underwhelming in their jobs. The ensemble cast was even awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award in the 'Outstanding Performance' category in 2022.
Succession is currently airing its fourth and final season on HBO and HBO Max, with new episodes releasing every Sunday. Be sure to tune in and catch the acclaimed series to find out who finally succeeds Logan Roy and becomes the owner of the Waystar RoyCo empire.
