Note: Spoilers for Season 4 Episode 5 of “Succession” are below.
“Succession” actor Kieran Culkin was so invested in Episode 5’s confrontation scene between Roman and Lukas Mattson (Alexander Skarsgård) that he didn’t even notice Norway’s beautiful scenery while filming.
“There’s this anger and there’s this grief that’s sort of happening. So, when we were shooting in Norway, I’m sure it was very beautiful, but all it did was sort of accentuate how miserable I was. And when we got to the top of the mountain, I didn’t even see it until we finished shooting,” the actor revealed in the HBO drama’s latest behind-the-scenes featurette released on Sunday. “I think it’s because Roman was so hyper-focused on having to talk to this guy and the setting could have been anywhere, we could have been in the bathroom and when we were done I just left.”
“We went down to the base and I went ‘Wait a minute, people were telling me it was beautiful up there.’ So I went and took a stroll back up to the top of the mountain and go, ‘Oh wow! It’s really lovely up here. This is great,’” he added. “But I just couldn’t see it.”
Culkin noted that Roman is happy to go along with Kendall’s idea to attempt to tank the Gojo deal because he “was really hoping someone would come up with a plan that would entail telling Mattson to go f–k himself.”
He added that he’s “pushed a little too far” by Mattson and that the confrontation is “not according to any plan.”
“I think [Roman] thinks, ‘We’re gonna bulls–t him.’ Act real sweet, act like this is going well and we’re gonna stab him in the back later,” he explained. “That confrontation, to a certain extent, it would be defending Dad’s honor, but also a personal affront to the entire family that he’s using death to show how powerful he is and make a cool business move. And the little sarcastic jabs would be almost okay. I think to Roman, it’s a little bit like ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can make that joke too. Very clever.’ I think that’s where Roman is, ‘Oh you’re using this as a power move right now.’ He even says that to Mattson.”
Watch the full video above.
“Succession” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on HBO Max
