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Succession is one of HBO’s hottest shows, a series that has cemented the network as one of the best purveyors of black comedy and family drama. One of the show’s biggest stars is Kieran Culkin, a member of the iconic Culkin family and a talented actor in his own right. While Culkin has been performing since he was a small child, Succession is the show responsible for making him a star. Ahead of the finale, Culkin opened up about how his life has changed since Succession started, how sad he is that the series is ending, and why he doesn’t expect to stay in touch with his co-stars in the coming years.

Kieran Culkin has become a big star thanks to ‘Succession’

kieran culkin succession
Kieran Culkin attends the HBO’s “Succession” Season 3 Premiere at American Museum of Natural History on October 12, 2021 in New York City. | Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Culkin was born in 1992, the younger brother of the popular child star Macaulay Culkin. By the time he was 10 years old, he had already appeared in movies like Home Alone and Father of the Bride. As he matured, Culkin continued acting, opting for roles in a number of high-profile projects, including Igby Goes Down and Margaret. While Culkin has consistently been praised for his abilities as an actor, it wasn’t until he was cast in Succession in 2018 that he really achieved stardom.

As Roman Roy, Culkin has received two Emmy and three Golden Globe nominations. He’s also won a Critic’s Choice Television Award, according to IMDb. His personal life has also been thriving. As he revealed to Esquire, since Succession started, Culkin has become a father and bought his first home. “There cannot be a better job on the planet for an actor,” Culkin told the publication.

What did Kieran Culkin say about the finale of ‘Succession’?

With the final season of Succession now streaming on HBO, Culkin is coming to terms with the ending of an era. “I haven’t had a f****** moment to think about how I feel about it. All I know is I feel kind of down,” Culkin said. “It’s hard to sort of accept. What are the stages of grief? I don’t know which one I’m in right now. Maybe depression or denial. Maybe a little bit of both.”

Culkin opened up about what it was like to film the last few scenes for Succession. The star was so affected by the moment, that he gave an impromptu speech, addressing his co-stars as being like “family he was losing.” In particular, Culkin paid homage to Sarah Snook, who plays Siobhan “Shiv” Roy in the show. Culkin told his co-star that she’s one of his “favorite people on the planet” and an excellent scene partner. All in all, it was the perfect way to wrap up a project that had become extremely meaningful to Culkin.

Kieran Culkin admitted that he likely won’t stay in touch with his ‘Succession’ co-stars

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While Culkin has greatly enjoyed his time on the series, he isn’t positive that he’ll stay in touch with his Succession co-stars after the finale — other than J. Smith-Cameron, that is, whom he has become very close to. Still, it’s not because of any sort of animosity or indifference. As he told Esquire, the distance between them is a big factor. “I’m not really going to keep up a proper relationship with anybody just because of logistics,” he said. “It’s a big, big loss.”

Up next for the actor: some time to relax with his family. Culkin told Esquire that “I would like there to be nothing for a little while,” admitting that he’s looking forward to taking some R&R with his wife and two young children.