The exact moment Brian Cox realised his worst nightmare had come true: “It’s a little tough”
He might have reached global icon status as Logan Roy in Succession, but Brian Cox had been heralded as a treasure for years by those in the know. A commanding presence on stage, Cox memorably brought Hannibal Lecter to life in Manhunter five years before Anthony Hopkins made his mark on the character. His other non-cannibalistic roles include William Stryker in the second ‘X-Men’ movie, Robert McKee in Adaptation., and Melvin Belli in Zodiac.
The Scotsman has left a huge impression on multiple strands of entertainment, but it’s arguably Succession that he is best known for. A starring role in the biggest TV show on the planet is a dream most actors can only aspire to, but fame comes with a price. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Cox revealed the moment he knew that Roy had changed his life.
“It was 2019, and I was playing LBJ [in Robert Schenkkan’s The Great Society] at Lincoln Centre” he recalled. “One of the first nights I came out of the theatre, this couple who couldn’t have been older than 17 and had their devices with them said, “Could you tell us to fuck off?” And then subsequently, there were more people coming throughout the week, saying, “Tell us to fuck off.” And I realised, ‘Oh, I’m well known now.’ I realised at my late age just how much I thrived on my anonymity. I can’t do public transport anymore. I can’t do things which I did in the past. So it’s a little tough in that sense.”
Cox’s portrayal of the foul-mouthed media mogul (who definitely isn’t based on Rupert Murdoch) is one of the best and most beloved parts of the series. Being sworn at by the man himself is nothing short of an honour. Over four seasons, the Jesse Armstrong-created show became one of the most talked about TV shows in years. Cox, along with Kieran Culkin, Jeremy Strong, and Sarah Snook, is one of the many performers whose careers were elevated by playing members of the Roy family.
When he was nominated for his first Emmy for playing Logan, Cox was 74 years old. Even in an industry where people can make it big in later life, that is old to have your breakthrough moment. He had spent years balancing professional success with leading a relatively normal life, so it’s understandable that he found the transition to superstardom so tough.
The outspoken Celt has often spoken about his dislike for celebrity and the idea that actors should aspire to some sort of recognition. When asked for his biggest takeaway from a career in showbusiness, he replied, “Treat it with all the suspicion it deserves.” On the topic of another awards body, the Oscars, he had equally harsh words. “The Oscars are absolute nonsense because everything that’s judged in the Oscars, it’s not a year’s work,” he asserted. “It’s just the work that comes out between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think it makes those awards a fallacy quite honestly because there’s a lot of other good work that goes on outside of what they call Oscar season.”
Following an extensive career with many stunning performances to his name, Cox’s rise to prominence has been a long time coming and has been more than earned. It’s just a shame he’s seemingly hating every second of it.
