Actor Kieran Culkin, known for playing the sarcastic and humorous Roman Roy on HBO’s popular drama series “Succession,” has confirmed exclusively to Variety that he will be vying for the lead drama actor category at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. This move comes after Roman Roy’s elevation to the position of co-CEO of Waystar RoyCo in the fourth and final season of the show, where he spearheads the Waystar-GoJo deal with his siblings, Kendall and Shiv. Culkin had previously submitted himself in the supporting categories for the show’s first three seasons.
During an upcoming episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Culkin asserts that Roman Roy is undoubtedly a lead character, given that this season’s narrative was initially pitting Logan against Shiv, Roman, and Kendall. However, after Logan’s passing, the central focus of the show shifted to the three siblings. Culkin, who was nominated twice for an Emmy in the show’s second and third seasons but lost to his co-star Macfadyen and Billy Crudup for “The Morning Show,” respectively, will be submitting his bid for a leading actor category this time around.
Jeremy Strong, who won the Emmy for the show’s second season and was nominated for the third, will also submit for a leading actor category. As for Brian Cox and Sarah Snook, there is no confirmation on which categories they will ultimately campaign for, with Cox having appeared in three of the five episodes of the season so far. If he doesn’t appear in any further episodes, he will have the option to submit in any of the three acting categories as per Emmy rules, which state that “Only performers appearing in less than 50% of the eligible episodes can submit in the guest performer categories.”
Culkin emphasizes that his decision to submit for the leading actor category is not based on any campaign strategy or tactics but instead reflects the show’s ensemble nature, with Logan at the center of gravity. He believes that considering himself as supporting would mean that Kendall and Shiv are also supporting, which doesn’t align with the show’s dynamic.
Culkin has established himself as a talented and respected actor for more than thirty years, with notable performances in films such as “Igby Goes Down” (2002) and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010), where he played a rebellious teenager and a scene-stealing gay roommate, respectively. “Succession” can be watched on HBO on Sundays.
Source: Variety
