Jeremy Strong has finally addressed the widespread criticism from his former Succession co-stars regarding his intensive method acting approach, offering a characteristically blunt response to those who have found his techniques "f***ing annoying" and uncomfortable on set.
The 47-year-old actor, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming project The Social Reckoning, opened up about his creative philosophy during an appearance on the New Yorker Radio Hour podcast. When discussing the friction his acting style has occasionally caused among fellow cast members, Strong made it clear that he feels no need to apologize for his level of commitment to his craft.
Method acting is a deep rehearsal and performance technique where actors fully inhabit their characters both on and off screen, maintaining emotional and psychological immersion throughout the duration of a production. Over the decades, the approach has been championed by some of cinema’s most celebrated and intense performers, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Jared Leto. For Strong, this level of dedication is simply a non-negotiable prerequisite for serving the dramatic material to the best of his ability.
"If some people feel that I’m taking it too seriously, or it changes the molecules in the room in a way that makes something uncomfortable, I guess that’s something that I don’t feel that I need to apologize for," Strong told the podcast host. He added that he believes, alongside the directors he collaborates with, that his process is entirely in service of the story. Furthermore, he noted that many of the negative reactions directed at him seem to be of a personal nature rather than professional concerns.
The actor took care to clarify that he never sets out to disrupt anyone else’s working environment or make his peers uncomfortable. Emphasizing a foundational rule of professional etiquette, he stated that his primary goal is to "first, do no harm, right? But commit to f**king what you’re doing, and utterly."
Strong’s signature career-defining role was as the tortured and ambitious Kendall Roy in the critically acclaimed HBO hit series Succession, which ran for four highly successful seasons from 2018 to 2023. During and after the show’s run, Strong’s intense on-set process became a frequent topic of discussion in Hollywood, drawing public criticism from several prominent members of the ensemble cast.
Among the most vocal critics was legendary actor Brian Cox, who played Logan Roy, the formidable family patriarch and father to Strong’s character. Cox pulled absolutely no punches when discussing Strong’s method acting in interviews, famously labeling the approach "f***ing annoying."
In February 2023, while appearing on the cover of Town & Country magazine, the now-80-year-old actor discussed his own philosophy on acting, arguing that portraying a character should not be overly complicated. "It’s just there and is accessible, it’s not a big fking religious experience," Cox remarked at the time. When asked what it was like to share workspace with an actor who remains in character between takes, Cox did not hold back. "Oh, it’s fking annoying, don’t get me going on it."
Despite his sharp critique of the process, Cox has consistently praised Strong’s immense talent, arguing that his co-star should simply celebrate his natural gifts rather than subjecting himself to the grueling process of staying inside Kendall Roy’s troubled mindset around the clock. Cox suggested at the time that Strong should simply step away from the emotional heavy lifting when the cameras stop rolling, jokingly advising him to go back to his trailer and "have a hit of marijuana."
Strong faced additional criticism from Kieran Culkin, who played his on-screen brother Roman Roy on Succession. Culkin took public umbrage with certain aspects of Strong’s artistic philosophy, specifically targeting Strong’s habit of referring to himself as "a storyteller."
During a conversation with Colman Domingo for Variety’s annual Actors on Actors series in December 2024, Culkin offered his candid perspective on the semantics of filmmaking. "I object to when actors call themselves ‘storytellers.’ I don’t really like that. Sorry, Jeremy [Strong]," Culkin said during the discussion.
The two actors spent four seasons portraying the Roy siblings, locked in a fierce, high-stakes battle for control of their father’s multi-billion-dollar media empire. Drawing a distinction between the writers and the performers, Culkin explained his view on where the responsibility for a narrative truly lies.
"I don’t think I’m telling the story," Culkin noted, comparing the experience to working with other writer-directors. He pointed out that creators who write the material are the ones actually telling the story, while actors are merely helping bring that vision to life. In Culkin’s view, fixating on overarching narrative weight or adopting a heavy-handed approach on set is ultimately outside an actor’s primary job description.
The intense psychological toll of playing Kendall Roy is something Strong has acknowledged openly in recent months. In an interview with The Sunday Times in the fall of 2024, the actor revealed that the demanding role ultimately "f***ed up his life" and left a worrying, long-term impact on his mental health.
Reflecting on his time on the Emmy-winning series, Strong admitted that he "sometimes lost touch with joy" while carrying the heavy emotional burdens of the character day in and day out. Unlike many of his co-stars who could easily compartmentalize and leave their roles on the soundstage, Strong admitted he lived the character continuously, noting that the experience was difficult to shake off for seven straight years.
"Listen, that show was an incalculable gift," Strong said, acknowledging the extraordinary quality of the writing and the career-defining nature of the project. "The material a banquet. So I miss that. But Kendall’s struggle was difficult to carry for seven years. And there’s just so much more I want to do."
When directly asked whether he would ever consider returning to the role of Kendall Roy for a potential spin-off or continuation if the opportunity arose, Strong firmly shut down the possibility. He emphasized that while he recognizes the chapter as a massive part of his life and career, he has no lingering desire to revisit it.
Moving forward, Strong is turning his focus toward new cinematic endeavors. He can soon be seen portraying tech mogul and entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming legal thriller, The Social Reckoning, which is scheduled for release on Friday, October 9.
