Succession: Roman Was Almost Played By Another Roy Sibling Actor
Roman Roy kicked off the final season of the Emmy winning HBO Max series by surprising viewers as the only Roy with any sense, possibly hinting that fans might see a different side of the youngest "Succession" sibling. Over the years, people have become accustomed to Kieran Culkin's bold approach to the character, and some may be amazed to learn that he was not the first choice to portray this pleasantly putrid persona.
While many would find it rather strange to see anyone else attempt to take on such a perplexing personality, it may be even more daunting to fathom Jeremy Strong playing the part, considering he has done well with Kendall Roy. Strong, however, was initially going to play Kendall's younger brother at first.
"He had picked to be Roman. That's what I heard," Kieran Culkin said on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. "He was given the script first and said he wanted to play Roman. I was given it to read for cousin Greg, and I didn't feel I was right for it, so I just sent in a tape without asking for Roman ... I know that he wanted to be initially, but I can't picture it. I can't picture being Greg and him being Roman."
It does seem difficult to imagine anyone else but Nicholas Braun playing Greg the Egg on the series, and while Strong may have succeeded at playing the younger son of Brian Cox's Logan Roy, there is no denying Culkin has cultivated Roman into a compelling, cringe-filled character. Some may be more surprised to learn the extent of his involvement in the character's progression.
Culkin has a large stake in the crafting of his character
Actor Kieran Culkin has taken on many intriguing roles throughout his career, but none of them come close to offering viewers a unique experience like that of Roman Roy. Everything from his depraved behavior to his lackadaisical mannerisms makes the "Succession" persona one to watch out for in each entry.
To create a persona with the unsettlingly hilarious charm that Roman possesses, the writers and Culkin could not accomplish such an endeavor on their own. The result would revolve around collaboration between the two parties, something that the actor claims was crucial to mastering the role.
"I read the page, it feels right, and if it doesn't, then I will express myself, and then it feels like I'm heard in this collaboration," Culkin said in an interview with Gold Derby. "It's not a struggle. I'm never fighting to make sure I have a voice. I'm never fighting to try to understand who this guy is. We all seem to have a really good understanding of what it is, and we all have a lot of trust."
The trust and their combined efforts have resulted in Roman Roy being guilty of committing some of the worst acts by a "Succession" character. He is also one of the most ruthless and least loyal. In addition, Culkin's Emmy nominations prove their work has paid off, and while co-star Jeremy Strong would have probably done well playing Roman, Culkin is the successful choice for "Succession."