| Kendall Roy | |
|---|---|
| Succession character | |
 Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy | |
| First appearance | "Celebration" (2018) |
| Last appearance | "With Open Eyes" (2023) |
| Created by | Jesse Armstrong |
| Portrayed by | Jeremy Strong |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Kendall Logan Roy |
| Title | |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Affiliation | Waystar RoyCo |
| Family |
|
| Spouse | Rava Roy (estranged) |
| Significant other | Naomi Pierce (girlfriend) |
| Children |
|
| Relatives |
|
| Home | 180 East 88th Street, Manhattan, New York City, United States.[1] |
| Nationality | British-American |
Kendall Logan Roy is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American HBO satirical dark comedy-drama television series Succession. He is portrayed by Jeremy Strong. Kendall, as with the rest of the show's characters, was created by showrunner Jesse Armstrong. Armstrong initially conceived the series as a feature film about the Murdoch family, but the script never went into production. He later decided to create a new script centered on original characters loosely inspired by various powerful media families.
He is a member of the Roy family, owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate, led by patriarch Logan Roy. Kendall is Logan's second son, eldest child from his second marriage, and serves as Logan's archenemy throughout the series. As heir apparent upon Logan's retirement, Kendall is struggling to prove his worth to his father amid bungling major deals and battling with substance abuse, as well as trying to maintain a relationship with his estranged wife Rava and his children. Logan announces during his 80th birthday that he will remain CEO indefinitely, but shortly after suffers a stroke and is admitted to the hospital, leading Kendall to become acting CEO with brother Roman as COO. The various back-and-forths with his father and siblings for control of the company become a central part of Kendall's storyline.
The character and Strong's performance have received universal critical acclaim, with Kendall widely being considered the show's breakout character and one of the most popular and acclaimed characters on television. Strong's approach to acting and Kendall's portrayal has led to scrutiny by the media due to its intensity. Strong has said of the character: “To me, the stakes are life and death, I take him as seriously as I take my own life.” For his portrayal Strong has won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2020, having been nominated thrice, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 2022, as well as a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series and a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2020.
- ^ Aratani, Lauren (April 19, 2023). "Kendall Roy's Succession penthouse hits market for $29m". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.