When Succession actor Brian Cox accepted the Drama Series Ensemble win at the SAG Awards, he spoke about both Ukraine and Russia.

One other thing I’d like to — is — I think is important to me and I hope important to you, and I think as actors and performers and writers and directors, you will be — this is a thing that’s come to me about what’s going on in the Ukraine. It’s truly, truly awful. Really, really awful what’s happening. And it’s particularly awful in terms of the — what is affecting the other people, particularly in our profession.

The president of Ukraine was a comic. You know, he was a wonderful comic performer, and we should respect that for him. And to come to the presidency is amazing.

But the thing that’s really distressed me is what’s happening in Russia, to my fellow actors and actresses and performers and writers and critics. They are told, under pain of high treason, that they cannot say a word about Ukraine, and I think that is pretty awful.

And I think we should all stand together — and also for those people, the people in Russia, who don’t like what’s going on, and particularly the artists. And I think we should really join in celebrating them and hoping that they can actually make a shift, because I believe they can.

There were no shortage of moments when it came to Ukraine. Leslie Odom Jr. said something within moments of the broadcast starting. Tyler Perry had a visible ribbon with the colors of the Ukraine flag. Dopesick actor Michael Keaton, who broke down when discussing his late nephew, also had words to say about the Ukrainian president.

HBO renewed the series for a fourth season a few days following the season 3 premiere.

The season three cast of Succession includes Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Friedman, J. Smith-Cameron, Dagmara Dominczyk, Justine Lupe, David Rasche, Fisher Stevens, Hiam Abbass, Arian Moayed, Harriet Walter, James Cromwell, Natalie Gold, Scott Nicholson, Juliana Canfield, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Zoë Winters and Jeannie Berlin returning. Additional cast includes Alexander Skarsgård, Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond, Jihae, Adrien Brody, Hope Davis and Dasha Nekrasova.

Created by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy and Will Ferrell. Jesse Armstrong serves as showrunner.

All episodes of Succession are currently streaming on HBO Max.

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