Succession isn’t just a fantastic television series. It’s a work of art.
It’s “King Lear meets the media industrial complex.” It’s equal parts comedy and tragedy. It’s, at its core, a Shakespearean drama thrust inside the gorgeous twinkling landscape of modern-day Manhattan.
But what if I told you the series almost looked nothing like the version we all know and love today? Let’s dive right into all the major differences and alternate storylines that could’ve made Jesse Armstrong’s series something utterly unrecognizable.
Jeremy Strong Nearly Played Roman Roy

The idea of Jeremy Strong playing Roman Roy is almost laughable now, since we know Kendall to be such a serious and tragic figure. But when the showrunners asked Strong who he was most interested in portraying on Succession, he was quick to pick Roman Roy as opposed to Kendall. According to Strong, he loved the idea of slipping into a mask that was completely different to who he is in real life.
“To be totally honest with you, when I first read the script, I thought, ‘Oh, Roman is a really fun part. To sort of play this bon vivant prick.” He revealed during a SAG Award panel. “As an actor, I was really sort of interested in traveling as far away from yourself as you can, and breaking your own self barrier, and sort of become what feels different from your essence… and Roman felt really far away from me.” Strong went on, saying, “And Kendall, I almost had a blind spot to because he’s much closer to the bone marrow of me… it’s a harder creative challenge to take the mask off. To take off your disguises, rather than getting to put them on and have fun in that way.”
Kieran Culkin Nearly Played Cousin Greg

Imagining Kieran Culkin portraying anyone other than Roman Roy is just straight up odd. Yet the idea of him playing Cousin Greg? Forget about it. Kieran Culkin was equally unconvinced that he was meant to play the wide-eyed bushy-tailed Greg Hirsch, who shows up as the “rescue pup” of the Roy clan and clumsily weasels his way to the top.
Kieran explained in an interview with Esquire, “I was sent to read for Cousin Greg, and I knew immediately I wasn’t right for it.”
Tom Wambsgans Was Going To Rot In Prison

In the Succession scripts, which are now available for purchase, the series’ writers offer behind the scenes secrets in the prologue on how much the scripts have changed over time. Originally, they had written an entire draft of a script where Tom Wambsgans actually does get sent to prison. Apparently, there were a ton of hilarious scenes within that prison storyline that made the writer’s room shake with laughter. The Succession writers were super proud of that storyline, so it sucks that we’ll never get to see the prison version of Waystar’s new CEO.
Greg Was Pitched as Openly Gay
Calling all TomGreg shippers: It was widely discussed in the Succession writer’s room that Greg Hirsch is an openly gay character. While this interesting tidbit sadly never made it to the final cut, series creator Jesse Armstrong has told The New York Times that he intentionally wrote Tom and Greg’s relationship through the lens of a homoerotic powerplay. Because Tom wasn’t lying when he said he’d marry Greg in a heartbeat.
Gerri Was Written as a Male Character
The character of Gerri was initially supposed to be Jerry: aka just another “suit” at Waystar Royco, who works for Logan Roy. But the role ultimately went to actress J. Cameron Smith, in part due to her outstanding chemistry with Kieran Culkin as Roman.
Tom Wambsgans and Shiv Roy’s 20 Plus Year Age Gap Got Scrapped
In the original script, it was written that Tom was a character in his 50s, while Shiv was in her late 20s. This large age gap was dropped, where Tom is now in his 40s and Shiv is in her mid-30s.
Kendall Roy Didn’t Try To Save The Waiter From Drowning
Kendall Roy’s life turned upside down following the death of the cater waiter at Shiv’s wedding. In the final cut, we see Kendall jumping into the lake to try and save the waiter from drowning, following the car accident. But in the original script, Kendall doesn’t go back to try and save him.