Succession: How The Cast Reacted To The Series' 'Perfect' Ending
"Succession" has come to an end. The acclaimed HBO drama from creator Jesse Armstrong aired its final episode this past Sunday, leaving viewers with plenty to talk about in its wake. From setting up a powerful future for Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) to effectively blowing up the relationship between siblings Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) after a climactic confrontation during its final act, the "Succession" series finale shakes up the show's status quo in a number of key ways. In fact, not just fans but even some of the show's cast members have felt the need to share their thoughts on this eventful final episode.
Entertainment Tonight notably published a piece containing several "Succession" actors' thoughts about its ending. For his part, Kieran Culkin, whose character Roman Roy ends his journey sipping on a martini in a hotel bar just minutes after hitting his brother with some hard truths about their family, says he thinks the "Succession" finale leaves Roman's future appropriately open-ended. "For Roman, it feels very much the same," Culkin said. "Nothing's wrapped up in a pretty little bow. There's more life that carries on after the episode ends."
Cousin Greg actor Nicholas Braun, meanwhile, told the outlet that he was aware of how certain storylines were going to play out in the "Succession" finale ahead of time. "I knew some of the elements and how things would finish up," Braun revealed. "When I read it, I just thought, it's just, like, a perfect [ending]."
Braun then added, "I think all of us were very moved by and excited to give it to [the fans]." Appreciation for how the show ended isn't limited to just Culkin and Braun either, but seemingly shared between a sizable contingent of the series' cast.
Some Succession cast members don't necessarily think its ending is definitive
Kieran Culkin and Nicholas Braun weren't the only cast members who spoke to ET about the open-ended "Succession" finale. J. Smith-Cameron, for instance, was quick to note that her character Gerri doesn't get much of an ending in the final "Succession" episode, though Tom suggests that he intends to bring her back into the show's corporate fold.
"I feel like things don't really wrap up for my character," Smith-Cameron said. "In the world of 'Succession,' where Gerri sort of fits in and so many other characters fit in, it could be ongoing." Culkin, notably, echoed his co-star's thoughts, revealing that he thinks "Succession" could have continued after the events of its series finale.
"We read the table draft for the last episode and then Jesse [Armstrong] told us that it's the end of the show," Culkin recalled. "It's one of those [instances] where if he said there's gonna be a [Season] 5 right after that, it made sense too." He then added, "It feels like an end, but it feels like it could carry on."
Connor Roy actor Alan Ruck, meanwhile, told ET that, reflecting on his feelings about the finale, he ultimately feels grateful for his "Succession" gig. "I won't say I'm happy, but I'm really glad that I was a part of it," he said. It sounds, in other words, like Ruck is feeling the same mix of sadness and gratitude that hit many "Succession" fans after reaching the series' end point. Plenty of viewers, after all, didn't want to see "Succession" end this year. Since it had to, though, its many fans and can rejoice in the fact that its ending resonated so widely, including with some of the very people who helped bring the show to life.