Succession Star Matthew Macfadyen on Tom's Finest Line

Previous to taking over Tom Wambsgans in Succession, Matthew Macfadyen was maybe greatest identified for taking part in Mr. Darcy in 2005’s Pleasure & Prejudice. And whereas it might be arduous to sq. the rain-soaked man who declared “I like you. Most ardently,” to Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Bennett with the striving, insult-slinging Wambsgans, the 2 have extra in widespread than one would possibly assume: Specifically, an obsession with standing and a want to be liked. The fourth and last season of the HBO Max sequence noticed Macfadyen’s Wambsgans, who’d spent the complete sequence jockeying for respect from the Roy household, finally defying the percentages to land the highest spot as CEO of the Gojo Waystar Royco empire. Now the 48-year-old British star is competing along with his costars Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, and Alexander Skarsgård for the Emmy for Excellent Supporting Actor in a Drama Sequence (Macfadyen gained the class final 12 months). Right here, the soft-spoken British native discusses his journey from the London stage to status TV and his favourite Tom line.

This interview was performed previous to the beginning of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

What did you consider the identify Tom Wambsgans if you first received the script for Succession?

My preliminary impression was that it was the clue to all the things. It is a bizarre, hard-to-sit-in-the-mouth kind of identify. It seems like “womb” and “glands” blended collectively. It is unusual, and never fairly proper. And he is a kind of interloper in a household referred to as Roy, which has its roots within the French phrase for “king.”

Tom has so many good strains. Did you might have a favourite?

I’ve so many favorites that my thoughts all the time goes clean, however I like “Buckle up, fucklehead.”

While you had been rising up, who had been a few of your favourite TV characters?

I used to be a baby within the ’80s, so I watched loads of American TV reveals like Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, and CHiPs. Daisy Duke was perhaps my first crush.

Had been you a theatrical little one?

Yeah, I all the time wished to be within the college play. My mom’s father was an engineer, however he was obsessed with beginner dramatics, and that was kind of transmitted to my mother and right down to me a bit of bit. I used to be fairly a shy little one, so the construction of being in a play and having the ability to make folks snigger, or be in a room the place everyone seems to be paying consideration, was fairly intoxicating and took me out of myself a bit of bit.

What was your first onstage efficiency?

The Nativity. That’s my earliest reminiscence.

Had been you Jesus?

No, thank the Lord. I did not have the horrible strain of taking part in Jesus and even Joseph or Mary. I used to be one of many Clever Males, which I used to be actually happy about as a result of it is a essential half.

You must carry a field of one thing.

Proper. You carry the field of frankincense or myrrh or no matter it’s. So it is actually vital, as a result of you possibly can’t have a Clever Man lacking, however with out the horrible strain of all of it. I used to be a lot happier taking part in the Mayor of Hamelin, versus the Pied Piper, for instance, in one other college play.

What was the primary paid job that you simply booked?

After I left RADA [the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art], in London, the thought of doing a movie was simply an impossibility. You would possibly get an episode of TV, however actually, it was the theater. The dream job was on the Nationwide Theater or the Royal Shakespeare Firm, or touring firms like Complicité or Cheek by Jowl. I received a job with Cheek by Jowl doing a play referred to as The Duchess of Malfi. I ended up at BAM for 10 days round ’95, once I was 20. That was my first job.

Do you ever get starstruck?

On a regular basis. I am so in awe of musicians and singers that it kind of flooring me. We went to a Snow Patrol live performance some time in the past, and the lead singer, Gary Lightbody, is a stunning man. I did not actually know what to say to him.

Folks now most likely get starstruck once they see you, which have to be attention-grabbing.

It is bizarre. Typically they do a double take, after which have a look at me and begin laughing at me due to Tom. It is coming from a superb place, however it’s barely bumpy typically.

Is there a TV present or movie that makes you cry?

I’ve cried rather a lot watching Pixar movies, to the disgust of my youngsters. Like in Ratatouille, when Peter O’Toole’s character, the critic Anton Ego, does that speech, I am in bits. And the youngsters are all like, “Daddy’s gone once more.”

Grooming by Jessica Ortiz for Tom Ford Magnificence; manicure by Honey at Publicity NY for NAVYA Nail Lacquer; Set Design by Spencer Vrooman.

Produced by AP Studio, Inc.; Government Producer: Alexis Piqueras; Producer: Anneliese Kristedja; Manufacturing Managers: Anna Blundell, David Duque-Estrada; Manufacturing Coordinator: Ellen Kozarits; Picture Assistants: Matt Yoscary, Josua Jimenez; Retouching: Matty So; Trend Assistants: Tori López, Tyler VanVranken, India Reed, Tori Leung; Manufacturing Assistants: Linette Estrella, Ariana Kristedja, Alan Bell, Nico Marti, Ryan Qiu; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Set Design Assistants: Will Cragoe, Christina O’Neil, Joseph Ahern.