Kieran Culkin Says This ‘Succession’ Actor is His Favorite Person He’s Ever Worked With
The cast of Succession gets along far better than their characters. The characters fling bruising insults and throw real blows; the actors have nothing but glowing comments for their co-stars. Kieran Culkin has frequently commented on how much he likes acting on the HBO series. He also recently shared which co-star he ranks as his favorite person to work with, ever.
Kieran Culkin is a longtime friend of Gerri actor J. Smith-Cameron
In a happy surprise, Culkin arrived on the first day of shooting for Succession Season 1 and realized that longtime friend J. Smith-Cameron was on the call sheet. The pair has known each other since at least 2005 when they began filming for Kenneth Lonergan’s film Margaret. Lonergan, who is Smith-Cameron’s husband, has cast Culkin in multiple roles.
Culkin and Smith-Cameron have cultivated a long-running relationship both in and outside of work. Their playful relationship also led to a sexual power dynamic between their characters. The writers found inspiration in the duo’s real-life relationship.
“He’s one of the most available, alive actors I’ve ever worked with or even seen,” Smith-Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter. “He’s so inventive and just … released. He’s just operating at the very top of his game.”
He noted that he connects particularly well with one cast member
Given his friendship with Smith-Cameron, Culkin lists her among his favorite people to work with. He recently shared that another Succession cast member is on that list.
“[Sarah] Snook and J. are possibly my favorite people I’ve ever worked with in my life,” he said. “I think Snook, in particular, I just feel the most comfortable with doing whatever.”
Snook is a well-known Australian actor who gained prominence in the United States with her role in Succession. She plays Culkin’s older sister, and the pair frequently squabbles, even devolving into physical fights. Their relationship is strong enough that Culkin feels comfortable improvising with her. He knows she’ll be able to take the scene in the right direction.
“I’ll just throw at Snook, and she’ll catch the f—ing ball and bounce it back at me and elbow me in the face,” he explained. “It’s just the most fun sibling dynamic on the set. We get to play around and be cruel to each other as our characters. That’s even more fun because between the two of us, there’s nothing but just pure joy and love.”
Kieran Culkin says the rest of the ‘Succession’ cast loves Sarah Snook
Culkin isn’t the only cast member who loves Snook. According to the Succession cast member, Snook is the most loved person on set.
“Like everyone across the board is just like, ‘She’s a remarkable woman,’ almost-to-a-fault kind to everyone,” he explained.
Though her character is a stop-at-nothing power player who operates with cool detachment, Snook is much warmer in real life. He explained that she booked a coffee truck using her own money to serve the crew during a long shoot. The bond that Culkin and Snook have crafted with their real-life personalities has made for one of the most fun on-screen dynamics.
