‘Succession’: Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen Often Make up Tom/Greg Scenes
The dysfunctional bromance of Succession belongs to Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Greg (Nicholas Braun). Tom is involved in Waystar Royco by marriage to Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook). Greg is his flunkie, although Greg has tried to gain the upper hand in his own ways too. One of the reasons their relationship is so fun is that the actors have run with it themselves.
Macfadyen was a guest on the In the Envelope podcast on Aug. 11. Discussing his Emmy-nominated work on the series, Macfadyen revealed how he and Braun often make up elements of their scripted scenes. Succession Season 4 is currently in production.
Inspiration strikes Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen on the ‘Succession’ set
Making television may be a bit faster paced than movies, but there’s still plenty of downtime. When Braun and Macfadyen are on the Succession set waiting to film a Tom and Greg scene, they can’t help writing their own scene.
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“Nick Braun and I will jump into a scene, one of those Tom and Greg scenes, which are just joyful,” Macfadyen said on In the Envelope. “And inevitably in rehearsal as we’re talking and we’re waiting for the lighting to happen and all the rest of it, things will come out and we’ll say, ‘Let’s try this’ or ‘Let’s do this.’”
Improvising Tom and Greg scenes is scary
Macfadyen added that being spontaneous like that is not easy. Sticking to the Succession script is comforting. But, Macfadyen has learned to keep himself open to the magic that comes when he gets together with Braun.
“That comes from not working anything out before,” Macfadyen said. “That comes from just being with Nick and paying attention to him in the scene. He’ll see something I might want to do and he’ll encourage me to do that and vice versa. But it’s scary to do that because you think well, I’m going to just turn up and hope for the best but something always comes in when you trust in the material and your fellow actor.”
Other ‘Succession’ costars take the lead
Macfadyen added that in other Succession scenes, he follows his co-stars. When you’re doing a Logan Roy scene, you let Logan Roy decide what happens.
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“Your security as an actor comes in trusting the person you’re working with,” Macfadyen said. “If I’m doing a scene with Jeremy or Sarah or Brian, their character, I look into their eyes and they will tell me how to be as Tom or as whoever. That’s my inner life is looking at Jeremy or Sarah or Brian in the scene because they’re giving me everything I need. I’m not summoning up anything from within.”
Macfadyen is also a Brit putting on his American accent. He said he also relies on his costars to set him straight if he flubs some of the lingo.
“It helps being on set with lots of brilliant American actors,” Macfadyen said. “You nick stuff all the time, you pinch ideas and expressions. Now and again, Nick or Alan [Ruck] or Kieran or someone will say, ‘That sounds a bit strange.’”
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