CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING – JEREMY STRONG…

The actor who won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor his portrayal of the scion of a media empire family in Succession says his own upbringing contained none of the resentments that play out in the HBO series (now completing its fourth and final season). Jeremy Strong talks with Sunday Morning contributor Ben Mankiewicz about finding himself on the stage, and of – finally – letting go of Kendall Roy.

LIFE IS A PLAY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW TESTING…

Nestled between a New York City church and a small Mediterranean restaurant, the Rattlestick Theater, on Waverly Place, conjures up powerful memories for Jeremy Strong. “I mean, everything has changed, and nothing has changed,” he said, while visiting along with Turner Classic Movies host and Sunday Morning contributor Ben Mankiewicz. Back in 2011, Strong was a struggling actor, appearing there as an Afghanistan war veteran in the off-Broadway play Paraffin.

“This was, like, a 60-seat theater, where the bathroom is on the stage, and you could smell the falafel stand downstairs, but it didn’t matter,” he said.

SO, SING, CRY, DANCE, LAUGH, AND LIVE INTENSELY…

More than a decade later, Strong, now 44, is a success story, thanks to his role on HBO’s hit series Succession, now winding down its fourth and final season. The show is fictional, but at times seems inspired by some real media dynasties. Strong‘s character, Kendall Roy, is the troubled and talented scion of his family’s media empire, Waystar RoyCo, one of four siblings desperately seeking their father’s approval.

His character may have grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth and a sense of entitlement in his soul, but Jeremy Strong is not Kendall Roy. Born Christmas Day 1978, Strong spent the first decade of his life in Jamaica Plain, a working class neighborhood in Boston. Jeremy’s father, David Strong, was everything Logan Roy (Brian Cox) isn’t – caring, paternal, and heroic, once nearly sacrificing his own life as he walked with his son, then 8, to a neighborhood park, the Arnold Arboretum.

“There was a car coming, like, 40 miles an hour that wasn’t slowing down for the traffic light,” Jeremy recalled.

“So, he picked me up and he threw me outta the way. And he got hit by the car, broke all the bones in both of his legs. Saved my life.”

BEFORE THE CURTAIN CLOSES AND THE PIECE ENDS WITH NO APPLAUSE…

But it’s his work on Succession that has defined Jeremy Strong for the past seven years. And now, it’s time to let go of Kendall Roy. Mankiewicz asked, “You’re done now, put Kendall to rest?”

“Yeah. I did. I went home to Denmark where my wife and I have a place, and I went out, sat on the beach, watched Kendall go down with the sunset – adios.” 

“You felt that was okay?”

“I’ve been living with this character and carrying, or trying to carry, his struggle for so long,” said Strong. “But I’m happy to be finished, and relieved, and released.”

You can watch the full CBS News Sunday Morning interview with Jeremy Strong below:

Succession is available now to stream on HBO…