2 ‘Succession’ Stars Take Rivalry to Broadway and Headline Competing Plays
The on-screen power struggle between Roman Roy and Shiv Roy is about to spill over from HBO’s Succession to the Great White Way. In an intriguing twist of art imitating life—or at least art echoing art—series costars Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook are set to headline separate, high-profile Broadway productions that open just days apart.
Roman vs. Shiv: Round 2
On Succession, Culkin’s Roman Roy, the sardonic and often unfiltered youngest son of media titan Logan Roy, was known for his sharp wit and love of chaos. Snook’s Shiv Roy, the ambitious and politically savvy only daughter, often outmaneuvered her brothers in the battle for their father’s approval—and control of the family’s media empire.
Now, with both actors headlining Broadway plays that open on the same night, audiences and critics are watching closely to see which Roy sibling-turned-stage star will dominate this new arena.
Fresh off his Oscar win, Kieran Culkin will step into the cutthroat world of real estate in David Mamet’s blistering drama Glengarry Glen Ross. He’ll play Richard Roma, a character previously made famous by Jack Shephard, Joe Mantenga, and Al Pacino. Joining Culkin in the cast are Bob Odenkirk, Bill Burr, and Michael McKean.
Pacino earned a Tony Award nomination and later an Oscar nod in the film adaptation. The production, directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello, promises a gritty, high-energy take on Mamet’s tale of salesmen locked in a desperate competition for survival. Culkin’s natural flair for delivering biting dialogue and playing morally ambiguous characters makes him a fitting choice for the role.
Glengarry Glen Ross performs at the Palace Theatre in New York City. It officially opens March 31 and runs through June 14, 2025.
Sarah Snook will take on a daring one-woman adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. The actor plays all 26 roles, bringing the play from London’s West End to New York City’s Broadway.
Kip Williams of the Sydney Theatre Company serves as the director. He originally adapted the play in 2020, and the production became a critical hit in Australia. Snook earned a Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2024 for the London version.
The Picture of Dorian Gray runs at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, officially beginning March 27 and running through June 15, 2025.
Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook ready to take over Broadway
Though both Culkin and Snook have extensive stage experience, this marks their most high-profile theater work since becoming household names on Succession. Broadway insiders predict a lively box office battle between the two productions, with theatergoers—and Succession fans—eager to support their favorite Roy sibling.
Whether Culkin’s slick-talking Roma or Snook’s shape-shifting Dorian Gray wins over more audiences remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: with their dueling debuts, Broadway just became the latest battleground in the Roy family’s ongoing war for supremacy.
And while Logan Roy may no longer be around to declare a winner, New York audiences—and Tony voters—are sure to have their say.
