Jeremy Strong’s Succession method acting prep included asking for bathroom directions, according to Bowen Yang
On a new episode of his podcast with Matt Rogers, Las Culturistas, Yang explains why he believes Jeremy Strong is a tried and true method actor
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As the Succession series finale closes in, the weight of Jeremy Strong’s performance as not-so-fortunate son Kendall Roy has begun to settle in, prompting glowing praise and character eulogies from critics and fans alike. But for Nora From Queens star Bowen Yang, the end of the Kendall Roy era means musing on something else altogether: the perfect time to muse on a story about Jeremy Strong’s penchant for method acting.
Let Yang elaborate. “The most recent season of Nora From Queens shot at the same studio as this season of Succession,” Yang explains on a recent episode of his long-running podcast with Matt Rogers, “Las Culturistas.” “The Nora From Queens production office was pretty close to the Succession stages and their production office, and as we famously know, Jeremy Strong is a method actor,” Yang explains. At one point, Jeremy walks into the Nora From Queens production office and says, ‘Excuse me, do you know where the bathroom is?’ and then someone in the office is like, ‘Yeah, it’s just down the hall to the left.’ He goes, ‘Thank you so much’ and he leaves.”
Yang continues: “So Jeremy leaves. Ten minutes pass, and a [production assistant] from Succession comes into the office and goes, ‘Hi, was Jeremy just in here?’ and they were like, ‘Yeah he was — he went to the bathroom’ and then this PA goes, ‘Did he ask where it was? Did he come here to ask you where the bathroom was?’ They were like, ‘Yeah, why?’ and the PA says, ‘He has a scene today where he has to ask someone where the bathroom is.’”
Ultimately, Yang chalked the moment up to a level of in-depth method acting so profound, it had to be winking.
“I think that is method to such a ridiculous degree that he must be in on the joke,” Yang concludes. Fair enough, and yet: Jeremy Strong hasn’t always been known to see the comedy in Succession’s well-crafted errors.
The final episode of Succession’s final season premieres on HBO this Sunday at 9 P.M.
[UPDATE 5/25 5:00 PM ET]: The original version of this story ran with the headline Jeremy Strong’s Succession method acting prep included asking Bowen Yang for bathroom directions. On Instagram, Yang saw our post and wrote: “not true! i was not present!” We regret the misinterpretation. Sorry Bowen!
43 Comments
Sounds harmless, and very surreal.
Sure it’s harmless, but it’s hard to imagine it was necessary. I would argue that if you can’t act like someone asking where the bathroom is without going method, you probably shouldn’t be an actor.
Ever seen Jared Leto ask for bathroom directions?
I think he just shits where he stands. You know, as a prank.
Lawrence Olivia approves this message!
“Sure it’s harmless, but it’s hard to imagine it was necessary.”
Who gives a fuck if it’s necessary when it’s HARMLESS?
I am so goddamn sick of “if you can’t do x, maybe you shouldn’t do y.” I can do it too. If you can’t come up with one original phrase maybe you shouldn’t comment.
I’m sorry? I don’t even really think of it as a phrase. If I were an author or blogger or something you might have a point, maybe. As someone whose not a professional writer just trying to convey their points in the comments section, I think you’re holding me to too high a standard.
Don’t give two shits if he has to sacrifice a chicken to the Plague Lord at midnight, whatever he’s doing is working great this season. Helluva job.
What in God’s name did Jeremy Strong do to everyone that they’re so pissed off about his acting technique? He is a brilliant actor. That’s about all I require of him. I have a feeling Bowen may be using the “writer’s embellishment” method of story telling, ie making a story funnier than it would have been with just “Jeremy Strong was in our office”.
All he ever did was give two fairly tone deaf high profile interviews about his dedication to the form, annoy a couple costars at work, and then use the word “dramaturgically” more often than is necessary.
Yeah, we’re nowhere near Jared Leto bullshit or Jim Carrey egomania here. He’s had a rough career, finally has his shot – and is doing the best job he can. Seems fine to me, regardless of Olivier’s fun quote.
I first noticed him in The Big Short and wondered why he wasn’t better-known. He has a great unfiltered intensity in that one.
He’s doing great work, but I also don’t mind people teasing him for being kind of a pain in the ass.
“Seems fine to me, regardless of Olivier’s fun quote.
The most interesting thing about the Olivier quote is that it is, in fact, NOT the be-all, end-all opinion on acting.
Pretty much everyone in the known universe has said something that came across as tone deaf, annoyed coworkers on occasion, etc. And reporters, writers for Vanity Fair, etc NEVER have agendas or write something that is misinterpreted.
I think he (and you) should feel free to tease me for times that I was pretentious too. Wanna see my mediocre photography?
What’s tone deaf about an actor talking about his method when asked about his method?
Should he only do interviews with people who aren’t interested in talking to actors?
For fuck’s sake, he didn’t send a fucking pig to his co-stars, he isn’t an asshole to the crew, all he fucking does is the thing that De Niro and Brando and Day-Lewis do while literally not asking *anyone* to care.
It’s fine if doesn’t impact the people around you but don’t walk into someone else’s production (a totally different show) and treat them like props so you can get into character. I know in this instance it’s a small thing but next thing you know some PA is being forced to talk to Abraham Lincoln and they just want to know what to get the dipshit from the craft table. These things escalate.
If you think sticking your head in an office and asking where the bathroom is that upsetting to people, then you’ve never been in an office building where the bathroom is located in some obscure hallway. These things escalate? Like next time he’ll want to know where the vending machines are?
I know in this instance it’s a small thing
Shut up. Iit was a 7 second interaction. Jesus christ.
This article doesn’t read as though Hattie is pissed or annoyed. Just an interesting story about method acting. The New Yorker article was the hypercritical, as was Brian Cox.
And look, the article has been updated to state that Bowen didn’t say what had been reported. Of all the things Jeremy needs to do to get into character, it seems asking a simple question doesn’t require a lot of prep. I called shenanigans.
For sure 🙂
Chicken hater!
Probably the first time I’ve heard of someone using method that didn’t involve being an asshole.
You didn’t see what he did to that bathroom!
He’s an asshole if he’s using the bathroom without buying something first.
He should just, like, try acting or something.
That’s a good quote. I can’t believe no one’s said that before.
The Jeremy is Strong in this one.
Don’t get your Jerem’s all over me.
I think Kendall is dead by the end of next week’s finale. Either by his hand or somebody else’s.
I kinda hope it’s not suicide, given his commitment to method acting. Not that I think he’d really hurt himself but I wouldn’t want him to go to that dark place for the sake of entertainment.
Well, given that the episode is already filmed, I guess he couldn’t actually method act Kendall’s death. Since he’s been on TV shows as late as last week….or was he?
Wait, Succession isn’t live like SNL?
Don’t you dare try to tell me Colbert is filmed at 5PM!
Fuck, how’s Strong gonna Method research that one?!?
That’s really far fetched. I have a feeling it’s either bullshit or the PA and Jeremy were in on the joke.
In programming, we have a technique called the Rubber Ducky technique, where we imagine we are explaining our code to a Rubber duck or some other silly inanimate object. When I do this, I use a silly voice to explain, and another silly voice to quick on how much my code sucks, this is what I like to do for my work. Imagine being a famous actor and everybody commenting on the weird things you do in your work.
Kendall Roy can ask me whatever he wants.
Are we just going to keep getting article after article describing that method actor Jeremy Strong was doing method acting when he was doing method acting?