The Real Life Billionaire Family Behind The Inspiration For Logan Roy

Source: Succession

HBO Max’s Succession

Succession is a critically acclaimed television show that follows the lives of the Roy family, a wealthy and powerful family that owns a media empire. The show has been praised for its realistic portrayal of the inner workings of a wealthy family and the power struggles that come with it.

With a keen focus on character development, the show paints a multifaceted portrait of a family grappling with the complexities of succession planning in the context of a sprawling corporation, unearthing the intricate hurdles that arise when personal relationships intersect with business matters.

The series skillfully traverses the complex terrain of corporate conflicts within the boardroom and the underlying familial tensions, crafting a narrative that strikes a chord with viewers on various levels. Against the backdrop of corporate power struggles and strategic alliances, the show offers an engaging and immersive experience. Simultaneously, it introduces intricate layers of emotional dynamics within the family, enhancing the depth of the storytelling. Viewers are seamlessly drawn into the lives of the characters, their multifaceted personalities and motivations intertwining to create a compelling narrative tapestry of human desires and disputes.

The Roy family has often been compared to the Murdoch family, who also own a media empire and have been embroiled in several scandals over the years. In this article, we will explore the similarities between the actors in Succession and the Murdoch family.

Media Empire

Both families own media empires that have a significant impact on the world of politics and culture. In Succession, Waystar Royco is a powerful media conglomerate that dominates the news and entertainment industries. Similarly, the Murdoch family's media empire includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and several other influential media outlets.

The show also features a variety of business deals and spinoffs that largely mirror what occurs in the show. A variety of Murdoch assets have either been purchased by Disney or spun-off into their own self-sufficient and publicly traded corporations.

Corporate Scandals

Both the Roy family and the Murdoch family have been involved in several corporate scandals over the years. In Succession, the Roy family is constantly embroiled in scandals involving insider trading, sexual harassment, and other unethical practices. Similarly, the Murdoch family has been involved in several high-profile scandals, including the phone hacking scandal that rocked News Corp in 2011. The scandal involved electronic-eavesdropping at one minor periodical that wound up escalating and really damaging the integrity of Murdoch’s media empire.

Source: Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Monika Flueckiger/ CC BY 2.0

Patriarchal Figure

Both the Roy family and the Murdoch family are led by a patriarchal figure who is the head of the family and the company. In Succession, Logan Roy is the founder and CEO of Waystar Royco, while in the Murdoch family, Rupert Murdoch is the founder and former CEO of News Corp. Both men are known for their ruthless business tactics and their desire to maintain control over their company and their family.

In terms of real world similarities, various publishers say the Roy family has a lot of parallels to rich American and British families that run multinational conglomerates with the Murdoch family being the closest in resemblance.

The Roy family and the Murdoch family both have complex family dynamics that are often fraught with tension and power struggles. In Succession, the Roy siblings are constantly jockeying for position and trying to prove themselves to their father. Similarly, the Murdoch family has had several public battles over succession, with Rupert's children vying for control of the company.

Family Dysfunction

Both the Roy family and the Murdoch family have a history of family dysfunction that has played out in the public eye. In Succession, the Roy siblings have a strained relationship with their father and with each other, often resorting to backstabbing and betrayal in order to get ahead. Similarly, the Murdoch family has had several public feuds and conflicts, including a highly publicized rift between Rupert Murdoch and his son James over the handling of the phone hacking scandal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the actors in Succession are similar to the Murdoch family in many ways. Both families are led by powerful patriarchal figures, have complex family dynamics, and are involved in the media industry. Additionally, both families have been embroiled in several corporate scandals and have a history of family dysfunction. These similarities make Succession a compelling and realistic portrayal of the inner workings of a wealthy family, and draw parallels to the real-world dynamics of the Murdoch family.