Real-Life Families Who Inspired the HBO Series ‘Succession’

The Roy Family in ‘Succession’

The Roy family in the hit HBO series ‘Succession’ is based on the real-life media dynasty families like the Murdochs, Redstones, and Hearsts. Creator Jesse Armstrong has mentioned that he researched numerous media moguls such as Rupert Murdoch, Sumner Redstone, and Ted Turner, to create a family that’s equal parts fascinating and sketchy.

The story revolves around the Roy family, which is headed by Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the founder and patriarch of Waystar Royco, a fictional media conglomerate. The series follows Logan’s son and four adult children who all work in the company and are competing to be their father’s successor.

The Murdochs

The most notable media dynasty that inspired ‘Succession’ is the Murdoch family. Rupert Murdoch is the founder of News Corp, a media empire that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and numerous other media outlets. Rupert’s son James Murdoch was the CEO of 21st Century Fox before it was acquired by Disney. James’ brother Lachlan Murdoch is the co-chairman of News Corp.

The fictional Roy family’s media empire Waystar Royco is similar to News Corp, and Logan’s son Kendall, who is vying to be his father’s successor, bears similarities to James Murdoch.

The Redstones

Sumner Redstone was the founder of Viacom, one of the world’s largest entertainment media companies that include Paramount Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. His daughter Shari Redstone, who has been embroiled in numerous legal battles with Viacom’s former CEO, bears resemblance to ‘Succession’s’ Shiv Roy, who is Logan’s only daughter and is trying to gain control of the company.

The Hearsts

The Hearst family, who owns newspapers and magazines like Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan, is another media dynasty that has inspired ‘Succession.’ The Hearsts have been around since the late 1800s and are still in control of their media empire. ‘Succession’s’ Roy family is also based on the powerful Hearst family.

The Summary

In conclusion, the family dynamics and struggle for power within the Roy family on ‘Succession’ are heavily influenced by real-life media dynasties like the Murdochs, Redstones, and Hearsts. Creator Jesse Armstrong has taken aspects of these families and crafted a story that is both intriguing and suspenseful. With numerous Emmy nominations and critical acclaim, ‘Succession’ has become one of HBO’s most popular series.

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