Shiv’s got the look for stardom
AUSTRALIAN actor Sarah Snook realised her role in TV drama Succession had entered pop culture last Halloween.
Snook saw photos of people dressed as her character Siobhan “Shiv” Roy.
“People had Shiv’s pants and haircut which was kind of weird. Now I can never wear paper-bag waisted pants again myself!,” Snook said.
“I used to wear high-waisted pants, now I’ve given them to Shiv and people are wearing them as Halloween costumes!”
Succession, based around media mogul Logan Roy and his ambitious family all gunning to take over the empire, has become an instant critical and commercial hit after launching in 2018.
“When I first read the script I thought ‘Does the world really need to see more rich white men in business right now?,” Snook said.
“I was worried it wouldn’t hit the right note or people would miss the point, but it was great to see the response.”
Snook, who is isolating in Melbourne and recently spent a weekend directing a project with friends, said people are discovering and bingeing Succession in lockdown.
“My friend who just watched it for the first time was calling me after each episode for a debrief and I’m giving him a full behind the scenes rundown of what happened,” Snook said.
“I love the show. I’m so proud of it. I want to watch the show just like my friends do because I don’t get to be there for some of the scenes, like when Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Greg (Nicholas Braun) have their little double act by themselves.”
The Adelaide native graduated from NIDA in 2008 and got her big break in the ABC telemovie Sisters of War, winning g the AACTA Award for
Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama and earning a Logie nomination for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent.
She followed that up with an award-winning turn in the Spierig brothers’ acclaimed action drama Predestination, a supporting role in Jocelyn Moorhouse’s outback costume drama The Dressmaker and a steamy performance
Beautiful Lie.
While shooting on series three of Succession is on hold due to COVID-19, Snook is eager to return to filming in New York when possible.
“Shiv is so fun to play, she ducks and weaves from her own shadow, she’s not honest with herself, there’s so many defences going g g up p all the time in
The which makes her so complex. You can delve into the psychology of why she’s making that decision.,” she said.
“The writers know Shiv so well; I don’t know what’s going to happen next — but I can’t wait to find out. If this goes on for many more seasons, and I hope it does, what a fortunate position to be in. It’s as stimulating g to be in as it is for an audience to watch. You’re challenged and you enjoy going to work and being a part of that group and feel like you’re growing as much as you’re contributing.”
Succession series one and two are now available on Binge.