Succession: Brian Cox thinks Logan Roy died “too early”

Brian Cox has spoken out about Logan Roy’s early death in Succession Season 4: he thinks he was killed off too soon.

Logan Roy’s presence has loomed over Succession like a toxic sun since the beginning of the show. He’s the Machiavellian king: always one step ahead, playing all sides, second-guessing his competition (“He’s selling me things I want at a fair price? So what’s next, fellatio?”), and keeping his kids on an emotionally draining leash.

And then came Season 4 Episode 11: the day Logan died. His character’s legacy remains fierce, but he went out with less than a whimper, collapsing in an airplane toilet and dragged out onto the carpet for pointless, never-ending CPR.

It’s easily the most significant event in the series, intensifying the tension over who’ll live up to the show’s title as we approach the finale – but Cox felt a bit “rejected” after his death.

Brian Cox feels Logan Roy died “too early” in Succession

The Waystar CEO’s death shocked the world, both on and off the screen. In a new interview with BBC News, Cox spoke about his reaction to being killed off.

“[Showrunner Jesse Armstrong] decided to make Logan die, I think ultimately too early,” he said.

“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.”

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Cox didn’t tell Armstrong how he felt about Logan’s death. “There’s no point going down that road, especially with somebody like Jesse, because he’s already made a plan,” he explained.

“It was an odd feeling. I looked on it, wrongly, as a form of rejection. 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.”

Cox filmed scenes at the church for the funeral in Episode 9 to throw the press off. Screeners for Episode 3 also weren’t released to critics in advance in an effort to keep the twist airtight.

“It was bold of Jesse. And that’s where Jesse’s great. I mean, he’s a genius. There’s no question he’s a writing genius,” he added.

Succession Season 4 Episodes 1-9 are streaming on HBO and Sky now. Episode 10 will be available to watch on May 28 in the US and May 29 in the UK. Check out our other coverage below:

Season 4 cast | Season 4 release schedule | Season 4 runtimes | Is Succession based on a real family? | What time does Succession drop? | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9