This post contains spoilers for theSuccessionseason 3 finale.
Sarah Snook’s Shiv Roy has nowhere to turn onSuccession.
At this point, nobody’s aware that Shiv knows about Tom’s role in this catastrophic situation.
Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook on the season 3 finale of ‘Succession’.Graeme Hunter/HBO
Where does she go from here?
What do you remember about how that pivotal scene evolved while shooting it?
SARAH SNOOK:Yeah.
Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook on ‘Succession’.Graeme Hunter/HBO
It did certainly evolve over the course of the day.
And to be honest, I was battling the elements.
I had no sunglasses on.
Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy, Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy, and Brian Cox as Logan Roy on ‘Succession’.Graeme Hunter/HBO
It got windy, so I couldn’t see through this eye[pointing to her right eye].
I was in a dress.
I was in Spanx, the mic shoved up my back.
It was a lot going on.
And I’m also in high heels, there’s rocks.
It’s a 45-degree incline.
But only squat because it seemed like the dress really restricted your movements.
Yeah, 100 percent.
It was very difficult.
I mean, standing probably would’ve been easier, but you just follow the scene.
How did that specific moment come together?
It was in the milieu of lots of different moments like that.
There was one where part of the actor brain of Sarah bee-lined for the shade at the end.
And [A camera operator/steadicam operator Gregor Tavenner] is in the dirt [and] dust with us.
That was instinct to put my hand on his head.
But also, I’m not there giving him a big old hug.
I’m not picking him up.
Part of that is being in high heels.
She is obviously sympathetic and empathetic to what he is going through, what it is.
But it’s like, do we believe this immediately?
Do we confirm, “Oh, wow.
Yeah, that is right.
You’re really going through something.
We believe you”?
And so for Shiv at least, there’s two tracks going at the same time.
But then she’s not a completely ice queen, cold-hearted bitch.
Her brother’s gone through something.
These three spent most of the season at odds.
How did it feel for them unite against their dad in the finale?
Well, we’re back here, we’re back, being sister and brothers, siblings."
And that’s the way they’ve learned to relate.
But I think that’ll be the interesting thing to watch.
Now onto the big final scene: What was your reaction to Brian Cox’s cruel impression of Shiv?
It’s so great.
But it hurt so much every time.
Yeah, it was so acid, it was brilliant.
Do you think Shiv also has this realization in the moment?
I think Shiv would have that realization later, or perhaps in between those two scenes.
He just wanted to win."
And that was what winning looked like, which is pretty grim.
Yeah, there’s no safe harbor really between either of the parents.
Looking back, it’s reset the show was foreshadowing Tom’s betrayal.
Did you pick up on it as you were shooting the season?
It’s like, “Maybe he’s been planning this the whole time.”
I was completely in the dark about it.
Maybe Tom’s the most Machiavellian of us all.
Do you think Shiv understands how this is the result of her mistreating him?
Not in that moment.
I think if anything, retrospectively, she may come to that conclusion.
I’ve got a real come to Jesus moment."
It’s probably more just like, “I can’t believe my husband did the dirty on me.
I’ve got nowhere to turn now.
My mom’s abandoned me.
My dad’s been revealed to be the devil, and my husband has signed a pact with him.
So I’ve got nowhere to turn.
And really, will I run to my brothers?”
That doesn’t seem [likely].
She’s got a lot of soul-searching to do, I think, in the next season.
Where’s the safest port?
Do you remember what was originally scripted?
I do, because I just pulled it up.
Roman heads toward…They’re in their own private worlds of pain.
Then from outside comes Tom.
‘Shiv, you okay?’
Before he can get in, he passes Logan out on the balcony.
They catch each other’s eye.
There’s a nod.
That’s the end, but then whatever else is improvised from there.
And we did versions where she didn’t see him.
The hand thing had to come outside the building rather than in the room with them.
And so, we did versions where she didn’t see through the door, didn’t clock it.
I think there was one where Kendall did a bit.
But in that take, it felt natural, because Tom had closed in with physical proximity.
I was like, “Get away from me.
I can’t hide my hurt to your face convincingly.
So I’ll pretend the hurt is from something else.”
Was that your instinct or direction from Mark Mylod?
Let’s bring that out a bit more."
He was quite good at going like, “Just hide it.
She’s very good at hiding things.
I think you should hide it.”
But yeah, let’s see Shiv be the good actor here.
What was going through your mind in that final moment?
Just like, “I’ve got nowhere.”
I can’t trust the one person that I [thought I could].
Obviously, she’s using him a lot in ways.
That’s not going to be the relationship demise between Shiv and Tom.
She’s so competitive though.
Part of it is like she wanted to win against her mom and dad.
She wanted to prove that she could have a good relationship.
She wanted to prove she could have a career outside the company, and she could have something stable.
And so, she went for the most stable, most controllable, seemingly, person that she could.
And then even he abandoned her.
How do you think Shiv will handle Tom moving forward?
It’s like, “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
And I don’t know how long she keeps that from him.
It’s pretty powerful.
I don’t know what she does from here.
But it’s leverage until the sale goes through.
And then she has to cozy up to Tom somehow, find a different way to get in.
I also feel bad for Connor [Alan Ruck].
Do you think they’ve created another enemy here?
That’s a good point.
I don’t know.
I love that scene.
I was cheering inside that whole scene for Alan.
“I am the eldest son.”
Damn right, you are!
It’s kind of catharticand then Connor immediately undercuts it when Willa agrees to marry him.
Everyone just consistently remains flawed.
I don’t know if they’ve made an enemy there.
He’s like, “That’s really bad for me.”
And we’re like, “Ha, ha.
That’s a dangerous amount of power that you are beginning to wield.
Maybe he does need to be brought more purposefully into the nest as the oldest son.
Successionwas renewed for a fourth season.
