The HBO drama closed out its four-season run with an impressive number of nominations.
Succession closed out its acclaimed run on HBO with 27 nominations for its fourth and final season, the most of any series recognized for the 75th annual Emmy Awards. The family drama created by Jesse Armstrong and starring Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin and many others, is up for Outstanding Drama Series as well as a number of acting categories for its sprawling ensemble cast.
The series also tied its own record for the most acting nominations in a single year with a total of 14, with guest stars, Arian Moayed, Cherry Jones, Harriet Walter, Hiam Abbass and James Cromwell, also among the cast members. Succession also made history with by landing three co-stars in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category, with Cox, Strong and Culkin all facing off against each other.
Alan Ruck also scored his first-ever acting nomination with a nod in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category, with him listed alongside co-stars, Alexander Skarsgård, Matthew Macfadyen and Nicholas Braun.
In a statement, Ruck reacted to the recognition, saying, "Thank you to the Television Academy for sending us off in such style. I've said this many times, but I waited for a show like Succession to come along for my entire career, so to receive my first Emmy nomination for this particular project makes this all the more gratifying. To be in the orbit of Jesse Armstrong, Mark Mylod and the best writers, directors, designers and crew on the planet has been an extraordinary experience. I share this with everyone behind the camera, and of course with my onscreen family, some of the most incredible actors I've ever worked with."
He added, "I send a special thank you to Justine Lupe, my awesome scene partner and dear friend who I got to spend so much time with on this crazy ride. Looking forward to getting together with everyone, and in the meantime I stand in solidarity with my fellow actors, our writer colleagues and all during this critical moment for our industry."
“I’m just delighted, and especially delighted to be in such wonderful company! We are of course nothing without our writers -- thanks as always to Jesse and the gang," Macfadyen also said in a statement, adding, "'Buckle up, fuckleheads!'"
Additionally, Armstrong was also recognized in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category for penning the episode, "Connor’s Wedding," while Mark Mylod, Lorene Scafaria and Andrij Parekh all received nominations for directing.
Created by Armstrong, Succession chronicled the ongoing internal battle among the Roy family for control of its media conglomerate, Waystar Royco, which was run by CEO and patriarch, Logan (Cox). Fighting to succeed him were his four kids, Kendall (Strong), Roman (Culkin), Shiv (Snook) and Connor (Ruck), while they also tried to fend off longtime executives, including Gerri Kellman (J. Smith-Cameron, who was also nominated this year), as well as potential buyers, with Lukas Matsson (Skarsgård) being the biggest outside threat.
Rounding out the lead cast of characters were the Roy sibling's cousin, Greg (Braun), who worked under Shiv's ambitious husband and Waystar employee, Tom Wambsgans (Macfadyen).
Season 4 brought the series to an open-ended yet satisfying conclusion, with the siblings faced with a decision on who to finally vote in as CEO and to run the company in the wake of their father's death. This led to some surprising twists and turns as Kendall, Roman and Shiv were forced to reveal their true intentions while the rest of the family and executives figured out how to move forward.
Ahead of last year's Emmys, Succession was nominated for a total of 25 awards, including a then-record 14 acting nominations. In total, the series took home four in 2022, including the top prize as well as a Supporting Actor win for Macfadyen.
Prior to season 4, Succession garnered 48 nominations and 13 wins. The 2023 nominations bring the final total up to 75, with the final number of wins to be determined in September, when both the Creative Arts Emmys and Primetime Emmys Awards are slated to be handed out.
The 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards air live on Monday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Fox. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Emmys coverage.
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