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About a month ago, Alan Ruck had a dream in which he was watchingSuccession.
I think that was my subconscious saying its over.
(Or is it real?)
I was thinking about how Connor might have had the happiest ending of the Roy children.
Willa seems pretty disturbed by that.
She had a big plan for me to go to Slovenia!
I think shes looking forward to some separation.
So Im not sure.
If she leaves Connor, thats kind of the end of his life.
I dont think he ever really went on dates.
He found out there are women who will let him rent their bodies and went,Okay.
That has been a lot of his interactions with females.
I dont think hes very good at talking to people at parties.
When Willa came along, he was like, You need money; I have money.
I need a girlfriend.
All the way through, she has been resistant.
But by the finale, you get the feeling they might be drifting.
I think when somebody passes, you take a stab at do something life-affirming.
Thats the way its been in my life: Someone passed away and then I got married.
Willa has plans to redecorate Logans place with a cow-print couch.
How do you imagine itll end up looking?Itll be pretty bohemian, pretty eclectic.
I actually think it might be better than it is now.
Logans version is so austere and overwhelming.
Did you ever talk with the writers about why Connors so fascinated with Napoleon specifically?
Logan, for instance, is more of a Greeks-and-Romans guy.I just think they thought it was so absurd.
Something we decided along the way is that Connors not a moron.
He doesnt want to read the latest novel and have an opinion about it because he might be wrong.
With Napoleon, theres also that he came from nothing and then became emperor.
That kind of heroic tale really appeals to Connor.
In his own twisted way, he sees himself as having come from nothing.
With the description of the loony cake, we get a fuller understanding of Connors mothers institutionalization.
How much of that backstory did you know earlier in the series?Early on.
Jesse said something like, I dont think Connors mother is on this planet anymore.
That was the first big clue.
In the third season, theres some mention of alcohol and substance abuse.
I started to fill in the gaps.
Hes actually very emotionally fragile.
Hes not a leader.
He comes undone rather quickly.
Connor has quite a short fuse.
At the end of the series, nobody has told him that Shivs pregnant.
He probably knows shes pregnant.
Its interesting what the family involves Connor in or not.
Hes out of the loop on so much, but he knows all about Logans mausoleum and funeral-planning.
Could you go to this cemetery and see if this mausoleum is worth a damn?
Because Im thinking about buying it, but I need eyeballs on it.
Connor would jump at the chance to do anything for Logan and go, Yes, of course.
It was like,These numbers are screwing me up, and I cant focus.
Logan probably realized at that point that Connor did not have what it took.
Hes protecting himself by not getting involved in the business stuff.
He cant stay in a conversation about business because it doesnt make sense to him.
Hes got a disconnect about it.
When Italked to Brian Cox,he told me he thinks Connor is on the autism spectrum.
Did you discuss any specific diagnosis for him?Pretty early on, I had that conversation with Brian.
It was in the first season.
I had a scene with him riding around in the car.
He said [imitating Coxs Scottish accent], Oh, yes.
Connors on the spectrum someplace.
That makes sense because he seems to have a very hard time processing the real world.
But aside from that, we never came up with anything specific.
Jesse was like [imitating Armstrongs British accent], I dont know … perhaps.
Thats the whole show, to an extent.
He loves that everybody has a different opinion about it.
If Mencken really does become president, how do you think Connor would fare in Slovenia?
God only knows how long he would last.
But he would delegate everything.
Could you take care of this, kindly?
Ill go shake the hands.
Ill go have the luncheons.
yo do the work.
What was that like to film?We filmed it earlier that day, before the other scene.
Brian came back for it because he hadnt been with us since the third episode.
He did show up for the funeral, but only as a fake-out.
It was also mine and Justines last day on set.
We filmed the virtual dinner and then right into the next scene with the siblings.
He was in a tender place.
The whole thing was very emotional.
Well, withDavid RaschesingingRobert Burns,too, I can imagine …It was really hard not to cry.
I mean, it was great.
And then doing the impression of Logan with the teapot song.
I think what Logan appreciates is people basically saying Fuck off.
He likes dirty lyrics.
He likes stories about people failing.
Did you and Justine do anything to say good-bye when you wrapped?No.
I remember we were in the studio that day in Queens.
J. Smith-Cameron was there and Georgia Pritchett, whos one of our wonderful writers.
Were all kind of bereft.
Everything about it was the perfect job.
I was in and out.
But from Kendalls point of view, hes the eldest boy of the people who matter.
I was so pleased that Jesse had finally given me some teeth.
I also think Connor knows his brothers and his sister are never going to change.
He actually could do something wonderful if he got out of his own way.
He could start a charity.
He could do a lot of good.
And even then, his brothers and his sisters would still be like, Youre the first pancake.
Theres this trust fund, these bonds, all in Connors name.
Hes wondering if he can get his old man to pony up.
