Jesse Eisenberg’s body road-trip comedy-drama, A Real Pain, stars Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as cousins with a fraught history. Culkin already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for the role, and last night he took home the Oscar. 

In usual Culkin fashion, his speech was irreverent and ended up censored due to repeated cursing. But it’s when he turned his attention to his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong that hearts began to melt. Evidently, despite rumors of a beef between them, the pair aren’t letting the bromance die.

Kieran Culkin shouts out his TV bro, Jeremy Strong

Strong was nominated for his role as Roy Cohn in The Apprentice, and Culkin shouted him out in true Kieran-fashion. “Jeremy, you’re amazing in The Apprentice,” he began. “I love your work,” he continued, before letting out a curse word. The next part of his speech was censored out, but an ITV live stream revealed that he had immediately expressed regret for his x-rated slip-up.

“I cursed, there we go! I didn’t mean to,” he said.”I’m not supposed to single anyone out, it’s favoritism, but you were great.” Culkin went on to thank his manager of 30 years, A Real Pain writer and director Jesse Eisenberg (who he called a genius), and his mother and stepfather.

He concluded the speech with a hilarious call-back to his Emmy acceptance speech from last year, where he announced that his wife, Jazz Charton, had agreed to have a third child with him if he won. This time, he revealed that she had agreed to a fourth child that night on the condition that he won an Oscar. He concluded the speech with a cheeky, “No pressure, but let’s get cracking on those kids,” and the crowd went wild.

Long live the Hollywood bromance!

JEREMY STRONG AND KIERAN CULKIN HUGGING!!!!!! ENDING ALL OF Y’ALL WHO CREATED THE MOST UNNECESSARY BEEF THIS ENTIRE AWARD SEASON BETWEEN THESE TWO!!!!! pic.twitter.com/maiUJf0qB5

— abbey (@sophscession) March 3, 2025

Culkin’s earnest mention of Strong during his acceptance speech went viral. Topping it off was when the pair hugged tightly on the red carpet. This immediately squashed the unfounded rumors that the actors had beef between them. The rumors began when Culkin made a ing comment about Strong during his Actors on Actors chat with Colman Domingo. 

Speaking on the art of storytelling, Culkin said, “I sort of object to when actors call themselves storytellers- sorry Jeremy,” referring to when Strong had called himself a storyteller during an actors roundtable. 

Strong seemed to strike back at Culkin in January in a conversation with Deadline. “Lately, people have felt the need to take shots at me or say disparaging things,” he said. “Which I don’t really think there’s any need for. I feel we’re storytellers.” People ate up the beef quickly, considering how compelling the narrative was: former co-stars with different ideologies about acting. However, Culkin put all the rumors to rest with his easygoing vibe. 

JEREMY STRONG BEING THE FIRST PERSON KIERAN CULKIN MENTIONS IN HIS SPEECH THAT’S LITERALLY FAMILY pic.twitter.com/luoTrPJCAg

— adrien (@evercornelias) March 3, 2025

From Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, to Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, bromances in Hollywood are still alive and well.  Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are the modern prototype, with three decades of friendship under their belt. Another fan-favorite duo is Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. The latter was another frequent name this season for his films, A Different Man and The Apprentice. Through it all, Mackie hasn’t hesitated to show love to his Marvel co-star. 

Every ing day, fans gain a deeper appreciation for how perfectly cast Succession truly was. Whether it’s Brian Cox frequently channeling his inner Logan Roy by critiquing his on-screen son Jeremy Strong for his intense, Kendall Roy-coded approach to acting, or Kieran Culkin dealing with childhood trauma stemming from an abusive father by simply ignoring it… It’s clear that cast was born for those roles.

Culkin is now currently on the press tour for his latest film, A Real Pain, in which he stars alongside the equally talented Jesse Eisenberg. Directed by Eisenberg himself, the project could have served as the actor-director’s long-overdue mainstream comeback following the negative reception of Batman v Superman. Instead, Eisenberg has been using the spotlight to heap praise on Culkin’s unconventional performance and campaign for him to receive a ing Actor nomination at the Academy Awards.

A Real Pain delves into themes of family trauma, exploring Eisenberg’s real-life family’s experience with the Holocaust. The film follows two cousins as they return to their ancestral home to reconnect with their roots. It has received glowing reviews across numerous outlets, with our resident critic Charlotte Simmons notably describing it as “pure cinematic catharsis.” However, the film has also sparked curiosity about whether Culkin is drawn to roles centered on family trauma because of his own strained relationship with his father, Kit Culkin.

Kieran’s brother, Macaulay Culkin of Home Alone fame, has been candid about how his early success complicated their family dynamics. Macaulay has shared stories of their father’s petty mental torment, such as forcing him to sleep on the couch to assert dominance over the family. He has since expressed his determination to reinvent fatherhood for his own children with Brenda Song. Kieran, on the other hand, has taken a more dismissive approach to their father’s behavior. In a Hollywood Reporter profile, he remarked that the only things he re about Kit are that he never bathed and was not really a good person. Notably, Kieran has never accused his father of direct abuse.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Kieran surprised readers with humorous anecdotes about his own childhood. Despite public assumptions that he would have only negative memories of growing up with a man described as “an abusive bully and drunk,” Culkin reflected on his past through a lighthearted lens.

The Emmy-winning actor shared how his own experiences as a child star help him empathize with his children as they navigate first-time experiences. Fully committed to fatherhood, Culkin has expressed a desire to be a full-time dad. His wife even celebrated him on Instagram this past Father’s Day with the caption, “Happy Father’s Day to this DADDY. Considering he didn’t grow up with a good example of what a dad is, he’s really quite good at it.”

When asked if family therapy helped him get to this place, Culkin laughed off the suggestion, saying he and his siblings are already “cooked.” He did, however, share a piece of wisdom from his godfather: “I will fully indulge anybody that wants to complain about their upbringing and childhood. I want to hear everything about that. And you can completely blame your parents for everything until you’re 30, and then figure shit out.”

Very wise. If only the Roy siblings could understand what their real-life counterparts seem to have figured out.

As Logan Roy on Succession, Brian Cox‘s character huffed and puffed his way through the drama. As it turns out, the Scottish-born actor isn’t one to hold back his opinions in real life either, as he had strong words for a fellow co-star.

It isn’t the first time, nor is it likely to be the last, that Cox echoes his thoughts about Succession co-star Jeremy Strong’s method acting. In a 2023 interview with Town & Country, Cox referred to Strong’s approach as “f*cking annoying” but credited him as an outstanding and talented performer. Now, he’s back at it again.

This time, though, Cox softened his stance on the subject, even if the message remained the same and crystal clear. Speaking to The Guardian, the actor said:

“He was wonderful to act with. I had no argument with Jeremy’s acting. He would be an even better actor if he just got rid of that so there would be much more inclusiveness in what he did.”

According to Cox, method acting “creates hostility” among the cast and it’s unnecessary to deliver a great performance. His advice to Strong is to cool it on being in character all the time and smoke marijuana (yes, he said that) to relax when off camera.

Expectedly, Brian Cox’s comments divided social media. Some pointed out that Cox is entitled to his opinion, while others remarked how Strong’s approach served him well since he bagged an Emmy and Golden Globe for his performance as Kendall Roy. A few humorous souls suggested Cox’s commentary sounds exactly like what Logan would say to his son on Succession.

Funny enough, Strong doesn’t see himself as a method actor at all. As he told The New Yorker in 2021, he believes “you have to go through whatever the ordeal is that the character has to go through.” For him, that means closing off his mind to everything else outside of the scene at the time, but it isn’t to the extreme that some of his fellow thespians have done.

Jared Leto, for example, is renowned for being a hard-core method actor. Notoriously, he turned into a meme because of the lengths he went to in order to get into character as the Joker in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Reportedly, he sent rats, dead pigs, and adult toys to his co-stars as a means to announce his arrival – what that has to do with the Clown Prince of Crime is anyone’s guess but roll with it. However, when the film debuted and Leto’s Joker featured in a largely inconsequential part, the internet laughed in unison at all that effort for nothing.

Leto was back up to his old tricks again in 2022’s Morbius, as he refused to walk around without the aid of a crutch to portray the ailing and fragile Michael Morbius. Thankfully, no reports have come out of him morbing in real life or trying to bite someone’s neck as part of his method acting.

Jokes aside, Brian Cox’s approach to acting is the polar opposite of what Leto subscribes to in his own movies. It raises an interesting conversation about the role of method acting and if it’s actually useful or one step too far. Regardless, let’s see how far Leto is willing to go if he actually lands the role of Skeletor in the Masters of the Universe reboot movie, as he’s rumored to be in the running.

Another television awards show, another big night for The Bear. Such was the case at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards last night, where Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Liza Colón-Zayas all took home acting awards, and series creator Christopher Storer nabbed a directing award for the episode “Fishes.”

The treasure trove of awards that have been flung its way since its inception is just one of many examples of everyone loving The Bear, but at this point, just as many people seem to be fed up with it as well. At least, they’re fed up with its insistence on occupying the Comedy category.

Those who are lacerating The Bear for competing in the Comedy category aren’t unfounded in their vexations. The Bear‘s material tends to skew quite heavy, with topics such as grief, estrangement, and professional power dynamics fueling its full-throttle, often corrosive emotional heft. In its intensity, it’s much more likely to leave an impression than other, more light-hearted shows that compete in the Comedy category.

However, it would be equally unfair to suggest that The Bear is taking up space that it doesn’t belong in. The Bear‘s comedic edge is razor-sharp and always on, and it’s in fact precisely because of its relationship with tension that it can have such a successful relationship with levity, and vice versa. The show’s dramatic indignance is symbiotic with its warmer relief, and the spirited ebb and flow that they enable together is a testament to The Bear‘s strength as a piece of art, and a powerful exercise in both dramatic and comedic storytelling.

It’s furthermore worth noting that the majority of programs competing in the Comedy section would, like The Bear, most aptly be characterized as dramedies. Such programs include Only Murders in the Building, Palm Royale, Reservation Dogs, and Hacks, the latter of which was the other big winner of the evening with a win for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Previous awards season darling Ted Lasso is another example.

This is to say that most of the shows competing in the Comedy category approach their comedy by rooting it in the complex, contradictory, often tragic and just as frequently ridiculous ordeal of the human condition; The Bear just happens to be really, really good at that. Just as noteworthy is the fact that much of Succession—the Emmys juggernaut of yesteryear—owes much of its prestige to its humorous stylings despite only ever competing in the Drama category, where the majority of its competitors did not have a similar relationship to comedy.

And yet, no one seemed to mind Succession‘s multi-year dominance, as if the Drama category is more prestigious than the Comedy category, or as if the Comedy category was created for shows that simply wouldn’t catch the eye of the Academy otherwise. This, in spite of the fact that the success of both The Bear and Succession come from the same thing; both shows understand how to tap into the raw power of the human condition, in all its pathos and venom and absurdity, and how to make an impression with it.

Neither is concerned with being especially funny or being especially dramatic, and are instead precisely interested in being the best versions of themselves. That artistic honesty goes as long a way as the deftness with which the material approached, and the very human emotional depth of it all is the key ingredient to making everything—from the drama to the comedy—stick and stand out. Baby Reindeer boasts similar merits.

So what’s the solution? A Dramedy category for all the shows that don’t lean far enough one way or the other? An abolishment of Drama and Comedy as categories altogether for the sake of one, ultimate Outstanding Programming category? A mass cognitive shift wherein we all learn to recognize that the shows are meant to elevate the prestige of the award, rather than the other way around?

Or what about accepting that the notion of serious competition beyond being nominated by the Academy (which is more than enough recognition) is kind of ridiculous and counterproductive to most all honest discourse around this specific artform? Indeed, maybe the solution is to stop making this a problem. The Bear is great, Hacks is great, Shōgun is great, Abbott Elementary is great. The planets are still aligned, and all the egos worth being intact are still intact. Carry on.

Succession is now considered one of the greatest shows of all time. The series followed the exploits of the fictitious Roy family, headed by Logan Roy (Brian Cox), as they operate their billion-dollar media empire Waystar Royco. Logan attempts to navigate health issues, internal power plays, and external takeovers while trying to decide who deserves to be his successor.

While fans of the series have undoubtedly already watched every season from start to finish, in case you are planning a binge session, here’s a ranked list of the top ten episodes of Succession.

10. Season 2, Episode 9: “DC”

The Roys get called to testify for Congress as to their complicity with the sexual assault and murder allegations leveled against their dead uncle, Lester. “DC” is the episode that most likely reinvigorates Kendall, taking him out from under his father’s thumb and making him confident that he can run the company.

Shiv also speaks to the key witness in the case to turn her to their side, swallowing any misgivings she had about what happened to save her father’s company — in a way, we see Shiv turn into the person her father would want her to be.

The episode also contains a great subplot where Roman tries to broker a deal with some foreign investors and ends up being held hostage along with Karl. Though ultimately it doesn’t lead anywhere too interesting, seeing the usually overly sarcastic Roman sweat is extremely entertaining.

“DC” is also the beginning of Tom’s fears of going to prison as he is laughably terrible when giving his testimony. He even denies knowing who Greg is! This episode is undeniably great and filled with several tense moments — Waystar Royco may or may not crash, a few of them are harboring an active fear of landing in prison, and Roman is afraid of ending up dead. 

9. Season 3, Episode 8: “Chiantishire”

This episode may contain the greatest moment in recent television history. Roman, who is at a board meeting with Shiv, his father, and Gerri, sends the latter a picture of his privates, or so he thinks. He watches in sheer horror as his father’s phone beeps instead and he realizes that he sent Logan the picture intended for Gerri.

No man has ever been more uncomfortable on television than Roman is in this episode. Logan pulls him into his office to yell at him. This cringey yet hilarious scene is the perfect example of how funny the show can get.

At the end of the episode, which concludes on yet another cliffhanger, Kendall drowns, with no sign as to whether or not he survived.

8. Season 1 Episode 10: “Nobody is Ever Missing”

This is the episode where Kendall really loses his footing. The episode, even though it takes place during Tom and Shiv’s wedding, is mostly about Kendall. Spiraling out of control after Logan spreads rumors about his drug abuse, he falls off the wagon and starts using again.

Kendall ends up leaving with a waiter to get more drugs but gets in an accident where the latter doesn’t survive. This leaves a wet and miserable Kendall to walk back to the mansion alone. This is where he hits rock bottom in the series as the event directly influences his decisions going forward.

Logan learns that Kendall was involved in the accident and blackmails him into pulling out of the deal. From the moment the car accident occurs to the moment we realize Logan knows, there’s non-stop tension.

7. Season 4 Episode 9: “Church and State”

“Church and State” is the first episode from the fourth season on the list, though it’s certainly not the last one. The final season of Succession brought every storyline to an end in a truly poetic and often terrifying fashion. Before the heart-shattering finale took place, “Church and State” set out the chessboard as the Roy family bid farewell to Logan at his funeral.

Several things take place in this episode. Initially, Roman is expected to give his father’s eulogy but breaks down completely due to years of abuse and unprocessed grief. And that’s when Kendall comes in and takes over.

During the episode, the structure of power among Roy siblings shifts, with Kendall once again stepping in a critical moment. This ignites his desire for power even more, as he steps into Logan’s shoes more than he could have ever imagined. The final scene where he becomes a killer and persuades Hugo to become his “dog” is unforgettable.

6. Season 2 Episode 3: “Hunting”

“Hunting” might be the best example of Logan’s brash nature. He plays a game called “Boar on the Floor” with Greg, Tom, and Karl while the rest of the family and some others watch.

Once shuttered from the outside world he completely belittles the trio, telling them to get on their hands and knees and oink like a pig, before demanding them to fight over sausages he tosses to them on the floor. It’s a brilliant example of how dark the show can get sometimes, especially when they play on stereotypes of how the extravagantly rich behave behind closed doors.

The entire episode also has almost a tense looming scythe over its neck as Logan decides to try to take over the Pierce conglomerate.

5. Season 2 Episode 10: “This Is Not for Tears”

Pretty much the entire episode is the Roy family debating who to serve up to the Department of Justice as a sacrificial lamb, to take all of the blame so the DOJ leaves Waystar Royco alone. Several names bounce around before Logan privately suggests that Kendall be that lamb, so Logan holds the waiter’s death over his head.

At the last minute, Kendall gives a speech that is supposed to seal his fate by itting his wrongdoing, but to everyone’s surprise, he instead throws his father under the bus making claims about his conduct and letting the world know that he is gearing up to take over his father’s company… again. 

One of Tom Wambsgans’ greatest moments also occurs in this episode. After they discuss throwing him in prison for their benefit, Tom loses it and brazenly sits next to Logan, takes a bite off the chicken he is eating, and walks away leaving everyone bewildered and the object of his little show of confidence in outrage.

It also serves as a nice bit of foreshadowing as Tom is seen taking more of a powerful position among the characters in the next season. This hilarious moment takes place just before all hell breaks loose with Kendall turning on Logan makes this a fantastic episode, which also won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 2020.

4. Season 4 Episode 8: “America Decides”

Like many Succession episodes, “America Decides” has moments of comedic relief while keeping us on the edge of our seats. However, it’s also terrifying, since it gives a powerful image of modern-day politics, as the Roy family clashes with each other to select a new president of the United States.

At this point in season four, even though the siblings agreed to be on the same team, each of them seems to fight on their own. Shiv made a deal with Matsson, wanting to push the acquisition of Waystar forward, which would be theoretically the easiest if Mencken doesn’t win the election. On the other side of the bracket, Roman and Kendall back the ruthless candidate, because they believe he will shut the deal down.

As the siblings clash with each other, the tension reaches an all-time high, especially when Shiv’s secret plans are revealed. All this amidst the most important election night in the world, which provided us with one of the greatest TV episodes of all time.

3. Season 3 Episode 9: “All the Bells Say”

“All the Bells Say” is, hands-down, pure gold as it brings together almost two seasons’ worth of story for one excellent cringe-inducing and suspense-filled episode. For one, Kendall finally its to Roman and Shiv that he was responsible for the death of the waiter back in season one. And despite them not being on the best with Kendall, their sibling love trumps their anger over petty arguments.

It also has one of the best Tom and Greg interactions in the entire series, when Tom asks “Do you want a deal with the devil" allowfullscreen>

Despite a seemingly perfect ending for Succession, “With Open Eyes” still doesn’t beat “Connor’s Wedding.”

Ever since season one, we knew that Logan had issues with his health. The show begins with him going to hospital. However, that storyline is basically put in the backseat for the rest of the series, until he suddenly dies during a flight to Sweden to meet Matsson. The trip itself occurs when his oldest son, Connor, is having a wedding in New York City.

The biggest reason why “Connor’s Wedding” is so powerful is because Logan’s death is so unexpected and takes place in the worst possible moment. By being on a plane and collapsing before anyone notices, he doesn’t have a real moment to speak to his children to say goodbye. The kids eventually do so by speaking through a phone to his ear, but it’s still far from what they’ve probably wished for. And yet, it’s poetic to see them being so disconnected from their father, even at the moment of his death.

Another powerful aspect of the episode is the acting. The whole cast has proven numerous times they’re immensely talented, especially in season four. But “Connor’s Wedding” takes the cake. To see each of the four siblings collapse in their own, unique way, yet try to each other in the darkest hour is truly exceptional.

There hasn’t been a single episode of Succession that has shaken the board more than “Connor’s Wedding.” After it aired, the whole show had a different tone and stakes, with new alliances forging and each of the main characters trying their luck to take Logan’s place. But the series’ greatest achievement in character development is arguably proving that the creator of Waystar Royco was in a league of his own: irreplaceable, unique, and terrifying.

Somehow, The Last of Us didn’t win a single award at 2024’s first Emmy Awards ceremony.

The dazzling post-apocalyptic series released early in 2023, but still stirred up enough hype to earn at least one prediction of “best show of the year.” It eventually earned some fierce competition in the form of The Bear season 2 and Succession season 4, to name a few, and that competition showed up for the mid-January awards ceremony.

Succession took home the majority of the awards in the drama categories, with two of its stars beating out both Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for Best Actor and Best Actress. Despite the clear The Last of Us slander present at the awards, at least we still got to enjoy a quick glimpse of Max’s live-action Joel Miller in the flesh.

Pascal presented the award for Best ing Actor in a Drama Series, and seized the opportunity, while he was on stage, to poke fun at the competition. He ultimately lost Best Actor in a Drama Series to Kieran Culkin, who blew audiences away as Succession‘s Roman Roy, and Pascal wasted no time in clapping back at 41-year-old victor.

Pedro Pascal’s bleeped-out Emmy’s speech

Pascal will always be the internet’s daddy, with or without an Emmy on his shelf, but he cemented his role a bit further during his brief appearance at the 75th Annual Emmy Awards. Pascal, who attended the ceremony with his beloved sister Lux on his *good* arm, sauntered onto the stage in an all-black ensemble. Even the sling ing his injured arm matched the getup and led to one of the most talked-about moments of the evening.

While presenting the award for Best ing Actor in a Drama Series, Pascal seized his moment to joke about the sling he’s been sporting throughout the awards season. Just before listing the nominees, Pascal joked that he was taking a spell to “make this about me” and answer the world’s questions about his arm.

After clarifying that it is in fact his shoulder, rather than his arm, that necessitates the use of a sling, Pascal fired some well-aimed shots at the competition, joking that Kieran Culkin — who beat him out for Best Actor in a Drama Series — “beat the shit out of” Pascal, and earned him his unique Emmy’s getup.

This statement is, of course, nothing more than a joke, but it landed much better than Jo Koy’s Golden Globes quips. In fact, Pascal injured his shoulder in a fall, but the idea that Culkin literally beat him up to cinch that Emmy award is much more entertaining. It also guarantees that, while Pascal may have walked away from the ceremony with no Emmy in hand, he’ll always have the web on his side.

Succession and The Bear may have swept up at the 75th Emmy Awards, but a number of other shows earned much-deserved statuettes.

The HBO series about the dysfunctional billionaire Roy family added six wins to its already impressive Emmy haul last night, but their 2024 tally was matched by the FX show about a superstar chef who returns to his family-owned restaurant after his brother’s suicide. They were followed closely by Ali Wong’s Beef, which was honored five times. The White Lotus and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver added to HBO’s overall plunder, continuing their dominance of the event.

Competition was incredibly tough this year, and some truly outstanding shows like The Last of Us and Wednesday went home empty handed. Better Call Saul continued its streak of raking in the nominations without winning anything, much to the chagrin of its devoted fanbase. And there was some big news for Sir Elton John, who secured the final letter of his EGOT thanks to Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.

If you’re keen to catch up on all this excellent television but don’t know where to start, you can find out where to watch all the Emmy 2024 winning shows below!

2024 Emmy comedy series winners

• The Bear: this fast-paced, addictive series about a high-end chef who returns to run his family’s restaurant has been renewed for a third season, and we’re thankful for it. It can be found on Hulu in the U.S., and Disney Plus in the U.K.
• Abbott Elementary: writer, creator, and lead actress Quinta Brunson won the Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series award for her performance in this heartwarming show about a group of dedicated teachers in an underfunded, inner-city school. U.S. viewers can find it on ABC, Hulu, fuboTV, and DirectTV. U.K. viewers will find both seasons on Disney Plus.

Drama series winners

• Succession: Jeremy Strong may have played the eldest boy in the Roy clan (if we ignore Connor, which we always do), but it’s Kieran Culkin who has been picking up the best actor awards for his turn as younger sibling Roman. You can watch the Shakespearean power struggle on Max in the States, or Sky/NowTV in the U.K.
• White Lotus: Jennifer Coolidge was her usual iconic self in season 2 of this HBO anthology series set around a chain of luxury hotels, and was rightfully rewarded for it. You can watch it on Max in America, and Sky or NowTV in the U.K.

Limited or anthology series winners

• Beef: most of the time when viewers talk about chemistry, it’s in a romantic context. In this hilarious limited series about a road rage incident that escalates into a life-changing feud, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun manage to show the other side of the coin, and the enemies are as compelling to watch as any other on-screen pair. You can find it on Netflix.
• Black Bird: this mini-series about a convict who is offered the chance at freedom if he can elicit a confession from another prisoner is tense, bingeable, and full of great performances. All episodes can be found on Apple TV Plus.

Reality competition winners

• RuPaul’s Drag Race: the long-running and much beloved drag reality television show sashayed away with an award at the 75th Emmys. You can watch it in all its lip-syncing glory on MTV if you have cable (it moved from VH1 a few years prior). If you want to stream it, it’s on Philo, DirectTV, and fuboTV. In the U.K., it’s available to stream on Netflix too.

Talk series winners

• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: South African born Noah has announced his departure from this beloved talk show, but he went out with a much-deserved Emmy win. You can find episodes on Comedy Central in the U.S., and Apple TV Plus in the U.K. It’s also available to purchase episode-by-episode on Prime Video.

Scripted variety series winners

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: the British funnyman added to HBO’s sweep of the 75th Emmy Awards with yet another statuette to add to the show’s burgeoning collection. You can watch the show on Max in the U.S. and NowTV/Sky in Britain.

Variety special (live) winners

• Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium: the Rocket Man finally claimed his EGOT with this win. He turns back the clock in this filmed live performance, which you can watch on Disney Plus.

Screen legend Brian Cox is a towering name in the industry, and he’s been recognized by his peers plenty of times in his long and successful career.

His latest big role was as the gruff, ruthless patriarch and media mogul Logan Roy in Succession, who was definitely not based on Fox founder and reptilian evil-doer Rupert Murdoch. The HBO show was a smash hit, running for four intense, spellbinding seasons that delved right into the messed up family dynamic that Logan created. The series was written by Jesse Armstrong, who had previously created the British cult comedy Peep Show, and worked with Armando Iannucci on The Thick of It and VEEP.

Throughout the show’s run Cox, his castmates, and the series were showered in nominations come awards season, and more often than not someone from the Succession world went home with a tropy in their hands. Cox had already earned two BAFTA Awards, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award before starring on the show, but did he ever see his name pulled out of an envelope thanks to his performance as the foul-mouthed Logan? After all, he was up against some pretty serious competition, often from his fellow cast .

Read on to find out: did Brian Cox win any awards for Succession?

Did Brian Cox win any awards for ‘Succession">and Pedro Pascal) for the 2024 Golden Globe, so it’s anybody’s guess who of the three will win (if any of them).

Cox has received numerous other nominations for his performances as Logan. There’s also the chance he could add to his trophy pile, as this awards season he has been nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actor, alongside the Emmy nomination we mentioned above.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/news/did-brian-cox-win-any-awards-for-succession/feed/ 0 1646192 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/was-pedro-pascal-robbed-at-the-2024-golden-globes-kieran-culkins-suck-it-pedro-comment-explained/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/was-pedro-pascal-robbed-at-the-2024-golden-globes-kieran-culkins-suck-it-pedro-comment-explained/#respond Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:58:26 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1645332 Don't you worry Pedro, your time will come.]]>

Kieran Culkin had one of the best speeches of the 2024 Golden Globes, including a good-natured dig at category competitor Pedro Pascal.

Even the Succession actor knew Pascal was the biggest hurdle standing between him and the sparkly stage of the Beverly Hilton Hotel, so when his name was finally called out he couldn’t help but let out a triumphant “suck it, Pedro, sorry,” to which The Last of Us star reacted with a faux pout. Keep in mind, Culkin’s Succession castmates Jeremy Strong and Brian Cox were also in the running.

Did Pedro Pascal deserve to win the Golden Globe instead of Kieran Culkin?

Kieran Culkin’s acceptance speech for his first ever Golden Globe win. pic.twitter.com/wzPIYlsaGP

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) January 8, 2024

Pedro Pascal was arguably the biggest TV star of 2023, deservedly taking the world by storm following steady career growth. His performance in The Last of Us was a big part of that, but ultimately neither the show nor the actor had anything on the exquisiteness of Succession‘s farewell season.

Hailed as one of the greatest television shows ever made and watched and loved obsessively by its fans, Succession wouldn’t be what it was if it weren’t for its sublime cast. Like his character Roman, Kieran Culkin slowly gained more relevance across the show’s four seasons, culminating in a final run that’s been hard to shake off. It’s a win that’s been a long time coming and celebrates an understated performance that had often been overshadowed by other, more dominant displays.

Roman is not an easy character to play, either. He’s incredibly repressed, usually resorting to irony and humor to mask any semblance of genuine emotion. An act that could have turned out monotonous in the hands of a less skilled actor, but which Kieran Culkin elevated and deconstructed, producing both the biggest laughs and the biggest cries of the show.

Roman was impossible to read in the first season of Succession, but as his armor became chipped and eventually completely destroyed, Culkin kept a tight grasp on the essence and nuance of his character. A performance and a win that’s been brewing for five years. Pedro Pascal’s The Last of Us legacy, in contrast, is only in its infancy. His time will, undoubtedly, come.

Awards don’t usually go to the Culkins of the world. Awkward dudes with a tendency to ramble and recoil, who have to share the spotlight with at least two other acting giants. While Pedro Pascal’s rugged charm is perhaps a bit more fitting, it feels somewhat vindicating for the subsection of TV fans who have been Team Roman from the start that this has been this award season’s outcome. And he better nab that Emmy next week too.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/was-pedro-pascal-robbed-at-the-2024-golden-globes-kieran-culkins-suck-it-pedro-comment-explained/feed/ 0 1645332 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-creator-finally-comes-clean-on-whether-logan-underlined-or-crossed-out-kendalls-name/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-creator-finally-comes-clean-on-whether-logan-underlined-or-crossed-out-kendalls-name/#respond Sun, 03 Sep 2023 23:45:40 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1579574 Kendall Roy would certainly have some thoughts after hearing this.]]>

Somewhere out there, Kendall Roy is jumping for joy, following official confirmation that he was, in fact, tipped to succeed his father’s media empire on Succession. That’s according to the HBO show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, who finally came clean on the handwritten strike through (or below) Kendall’s name in the fourth episode of Succession’s final season.

For those who need a refresher, the episode follows the Roy family as they grieve the loss of Logan, following his death early on in season four. Kendall, who had long tussled with his siblings to assume the family business, is presented with a piece of paper that seemingly confirms him as the successor, but his name has been either underlined by Logan (played by Brian Cox), or crossed out altogether.

Logan’s handwritten doodles sparked debate among fans as to whether Kendall (played by Jeremy Strong) was actually intended to head Waystar Royco, but Armstrong has come in with a definitive answer at a recent appearance in London. “If you were gonna cross out [the name]” the showrunner said, “you wouldn’t start underneath, would you?”

https://twitter.com/cassamlooch/status/1697975746680041930

of the crowd reportedly shouted out “underlined” in agreement with Armstrong, all-but ingraining Kendall’s name into the family business forever. It was one of multiple Succession revelations made by Armstrong, who said that while he was hesitant to speak about the show while it was still airing, he’s “happy to spoil it” now that it has wrapped.

https://twitter.com/cassamlooch/status/1698078468641038697

Armstrong went on to reveal that Matthew Macfadayen — who played sycophant and surprise Waystar successor Tom Wambsgans — had long been briefed on the potential for his character to assume the family business. Armstrong would remind Macfadyen even during early seasons that “it could be you,” and gave the actor subtle hints as to how to play certain scenes.

Spilling more details about the fate of the characters, Armstrong revealed that it was him who physically drew the line that underlined Kendall’s name, giving the eldest sibling the much-needed recognition he pined for throughout Succession’s entire run.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-creator-finally-comes-clean-on-whether-logan-underlined-or-crossed-out-kendalls-name/feed/ 0 1579574 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-star-sarah-snook-pulls-back-the-curtain-on-that-intense-balcony-fight-between-shiv-and-tom/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-star-sarah-snook-pulls-back-the-curtain-on-that-intense-balcony-fight-between-shiv-and-tom/#respond Thu, 17 Aug 2023 01:28:56 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1564016 Shiv herself unpacks one of the show's tensest (and loudest) moments.]]>

Succession star Sarah Snook has broken down a key scene from the HBO series’ final season. Snook, who played would-be media empire heiress Siobhan Roy across all four seasons of Succession, shed light on a particular moment in which her character gets into an intense fight with her estranged husband Tom Wambsgans (played by Matthew Macfadyen). 

The scene was lifted from the season four episode “Tailgate Party,” which Snook used as her submission for Best Drama Actress ahead of next year’s Emmy Awards. It’s a choice selection, given that the fight scene sees Snook and Macfadyen unleash their characters’ years-long resentments, tears and frustrations for one of the final season’s most captivating moments.

Pulling back the curtain on “Tailgate Party” as part of Variety’s Making a Scene series, Snook said the scene was shot at night over the course of a week, and that she and Macfadyen had practiced the dialogue in between filming other scenes. The actress also revealed that she had first informed cast and crew of her pregnancy while filming the balcony fight, which added extra layers since the characters were arguing about Shiv’s potential motherhood.

Aside from the technical aspects of shooting the scene, Snook described her personal reaction to “Tailgate Party, saying she “felt really sad for Shiv and the dissolution of her marriage.” Viewers know that the pair had danced around conflict throughout Succession’s entire run, which made their balcony fight all the more “explosive,” Snook said. 

On the other hand, Snook said performing those big emotions was quite enjoyable, and described filming the scene as “playing with” Macfadyen. She’s perhaps the only person to feel that way, since fans largely agree that despite their resentments, Shiv and Tom were a couple to root for. 

They’ll have to wait to see whether Snook’s efforts pay off at the Emmys, but with a mammoth 27 nominations to its name, it’s near-impossible for Succession to walk away empty handed.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-star-sarah-snook-pulls-back-the-curtain-on-that-intense-balcony-fight-between-shiv-and-tom/feed/ 0 1564016 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-the-white-lotus-and-the-last-of-us-emmy-domination-could-spell-hbos-last-hurrah/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/succession-the-white-lotus-and-the-last-of-us-emmy-domination-could-spell-hbos-last-hurrah/#respond Mon, 17 Jul 2023 18:39:16 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1536855 Kendall, Roman, and Shiv, we miss you so much already.]]>

The 2023 Emmys are shaping up to return some stunning results for HBO, who dominated this year’s nominees and made history in the process. Only two networks have managed to take up four spaces among the Best Drama contenders in the past: CBS in 1973 and NBC in 1992. HBO became the third as Succession, The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and House of the Dragon all received nods from the Academy.

The channel racked up a total of 127 nominations with clear dominance over runner-up Netflix in what is a reflection of its firm finger on the pulse of quality television. HBO has built a reputation as the home of some of the best scripted television ever produced, and its 2022 run of Sunday programming might be its best yet. The Game of Thrones prequel, which critics and fans claim returned the property to its former glory, was followed up with the 2nd season of the award-winning dramedy White Lotus, which managed to top its first run. Then the adaptation of the popular zombie video game The Last of Us had everyone glued to their screens just in time for the final curtain call of two of the best series of their decade – Succession and Barry. It’s hard to find any other network with a year this astounding and consistent.

While more seasons of every one of these shows, bar the last two, are currently on the horizon, it’s hard to tell whether HBO will be able to maintain a level this high. In fact, ing for leadership change, two impactful strikes, and the disappointment of The Idol, the outcome could very well be negative.

David Zaslav’s tenure as CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery following the merger of the two companies kicked off with a bang in 2022, with controversial cost-cutting measures. Among them were canning a finished straight-to-streaming film that never saw the light of day, removing underperforming titles from HBO Max, killing projects in the development stages like J.J. Abrams’ HBO drama series Demimonde, almost destroying TCM, forcing the Avengers of cinema (Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Paul Thomas Anderson) to intervene, and attempting to sell part of Warner Bros.’ music library.

Zaslav also combined HBO Max and Discovery Plus into a single streaming platform called Max in 2023, which made a lot of people nervous that the company and the streamer were moving away from HBO as their mantlepiece in television and turning toward reality and unscripted programming as Zaslav’s specialty. That variety of supply could help Warner Bros. make it through the aftermath of the Writers’ and Actors’ strikes by relying on Discovery’s catalog, but could it mean HBO will be replaced as the favorite child?

Zaslav is one of the main targets of the strikes as the highest-paid entertainment executive in Hollywood. According to the Los Angeles Times, Zaslav’s compensation over the last five years was close to half a billion dollars – a pay disparity that of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are trying to combat.

From this perspective, the new Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t sound like a place where daring, complex thoughtful scripted television could thrive. Zaslav has previously said that generating free cash flow (the money immediately available to the business) is a priority, and that can only be achieved through cost-cutting and controlled investment. Per Deadline, Zaslav believes “there’s nothing more important than content, people [are] consuming more content than they ever have. But it has to be great content. It’s no longer about how much.” He says the company will no longer create content “at any cost” moving forward, which has outsiders worried he’s penny-pinching since playing it safe and thinking commercially has never resulted in truly great TV or film. Still, the studio head has promised to spend more than ever before.

Over at HBO and Max, the conversation is still seemingly putting quality storytelling and the people who create it first. Both the Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Casey Bloys and Head of Drama sca Orsi are vocally pro-artists, with the former taking a hard stance against Artificial Intelligence (a huge point of contention between studio executives and unions). “I hope to God I’m retired by [the point AI takes over the industry],” Bloys told Variety.

Speaking to Deadline about the spectacular number of nominations at the Emmys, Bloys said it serves as a reminder that the industry is nothing “without the talents of writers and actors.” He also hopes a deal can be reached that makes both communities feel “worthy.” For Bloys, Emmy domination is only a byproduct of HBO’s strive to work with “really talented writers, directors, and actors.”

That’s why Zaslav’s strategy to focus on franchises like DC, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter feels like it could spell bad news for the type of innovative original television that HBO has historically produced. Bloys, however, doesn’t seem interested in unnecessary spin-offs cashing in on popular IP like Succession.

“It’s obviously fun to think about the combinations. But if [Succession creator Jesse Armstrong] is not feeling it, I’m not going to go down that road.”

Similarly, Orsi believes things like remakes and reboots, which seem to be a plague in the entertainment industry at the moment, are not “exciting” to the HBO Drama department, which would rather “find something totally original, new and un-derivative in of its world.”

Hopefully, Zaslav’s love of franchises and Bloys and Orsi’s belief in fresh unique programming can co-exist. In the pipeline, there’s more Game of Thrones, with a few more seasons of House of the Dragon, possibly three seasons of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Night, and a Jon Snow spin-off in early development. There’s also the Harry Potter remake in series format which will be a Max original (not HBO, even if Bloys doesn’t seem to think there’s a difference, which makes the whole thing even more confusing).

At the same time, there are new seasons of The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and Euphoria coming in the near future, as well as the return of True Detective. Robert Downey Jr.-led dramedy The Sympathizer, and Kate Winslet miniseries The Regime are also coming soon. Orsi did say the network is interested in the cost efficiency of contemporary shows. Where period pieces like House of the Dragon rely on pricey visual effects, projects set in the here and now like Succession and White Lotus are easier to maintain in an ongoing format. The Idol is one of the only HBO bets in recent memory to have completely backfired, but it’s also proof that the network is still taking risks, even under its hard-gripped new leadership.

During the company’s quarterly earnings call, Zaslav said WBD would be “doubling down on [the] HBO team,” which he says have almost all been “locked up” with new contracts. “Quality is what matters. Quality is what Casey [Bloys] and that team is [sic] delivering. It’s the best team in the business,” the executive stated, adding that they would be spending “dramatically more this year and next year than we spent last year [and] the year before.”

While Zaslav’s immediate actions as the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery seemed to spell trouble for the prestige of HBO originals — made worse by how terrible The Idol was and the ongoing strikes by writers and actors — it looks like all is not lost for the legacy network. The birthplace of The Wire, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, and Succession will hopefully retain its identity and ideology for the good of all of us fans of good old long-form television — a luxury rarer by the way, disappearing at the hands of boring, nostalgia-mongering remakes, cancelation-happy platforms, and the ever-looming threat of AI-generated scripts.

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