These Are The Succession Cast's Actual Partners

Get ready for one more round of familial betrayal, boardroom battles, and corporate drama, because "Succession" is back for its fourth and final season. The HBO drama-meets-dark-comedy follows the mega-wealthy Roy family and the battle for succession for their gargantuan media empire, Waystar Royco as patriarch Logan Roy decides which of his four children will inherit the coveted CEO role. "Succesion's" third season saw the three main contenders for the role, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman, double-crossed as Logan decided to sell the company to another media brand.

Since its first season in 2018, "Succession" has earned both critical acclaim and a fervent fan following thanks to its genre-breaking, whip-smart writing and impeccable performances. The cast, which includes titans of the screen like Brian Cox and actors for whom "Succession" was their big break, like Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin, has won dozens of acting awards. In fact, in its third season, the show broke the record for Emmy acting nominations for one show in a single year with 14 nominations.

If you love the cast of "Succession" as much as we do, you may be curious to learn a bit more about their personal lives. While they all play characters who have plenty of struggles with romance, in real life, many of these actors have settled down into happy relationships. Read on to learn a little more about the real-life partners of the "Succession" cast.

As Kendall Roy, Jeremy Strong is determined, ambitious, and deadly serious, but also, most of the time, a little bit ridiculous. His relationship history is patchy at best. He has an ex-wife, Rava, and an on-again-off-again relationship with Naomi Pierce, whose family owns a rival media company. 

In real life, Strong has a much more successful relationship history. The actor married Emma Wall, a psychiatrist originally from Denmark, in 2016 after the pair first met in 2012. The pair live between New York and Copenhagen which seems to work for them. As Strong told The Guardian: "I love Denmark. I find it a very sane and gentle place. It feels like a refuge for me, and it's great to have somewhere that's a docking station after all this work, which I find very enervating and scary and stressful." 

Despite Strong's famous method-style dedication to his characters, his relationship with Wall seems to be happy and stable — a "refuge," as he put it. The pair have three daughters and balance work-and-home life well with their successful careers and busy family. "He does a really good job of maintaining what he's doing but also creating a space for the family and a normal life," Wall told The New Yorker. However, Strong added: "I think she feels a sort of energy shift. But it does make me feel like I'm living a double life."

Much like his son Kendall, Logan Roy, the founder of Waystar Royco, is hardly known for relationship success, with two ex-wives, one current estranged wife, and a current assistant-slash-girlfriend. Actor Brian Cox, unlike his character, has a more stable relationship history.

Cox was married to Caroline Burt as a young man. "I was just in my twenties when I got married to Caroline," he wrote in his memoir (via Yahoo!). "Far too young." Cox had two children with Burt and the pair divorced in 1986. 

Cox went on to tie the knot again with fellow actor Nicole Ansari-Cox, whom he met in 1990. "I met Brian at a party and there was just an instant connection," Ansari-Cox told The Herald. "It was like meeting a soulmate. He understood me. We were just talking, talking, talking." The pair are still together and it seems they couldn't be happier. As Cox said at Series Mania in 2023, he is especially proud of her work with women in Iran. "I am very proud of my wife: She is a very strong woman with very strong opinions, and she taught me so much," Cox said (via Variety).

Sarah Snook plays Shiv in "Succession," yet another Roy who can't seem to maintain a healthy relationship. In fact, her marriage to Matthew Macfadyen's character is probably one of the most toxic on the show, with the pair constantly scheming and playing off each other for corporate success. Snook couldn't be further from her character.

Snook is married to comedian Dave Lawson. The pair began as friends before getting closer during the coronavirus pandemic. "We've been friends since 2014, lived together, travelled together, always excited to see each other, but totally platonic," Snook explained to Vogue Australia in 2021. "We've just never been single at the same time. I proposed and we got married in February in my backyard." As the actor explained, it was a low-key, secret ceremony with both the bride and groom wearing Blundstone boots. In 2023, Snook announced that she and Lawson were expecting their first child, while on the red carpet of the "Succession" season four premiere, telling ET that she was expecting a baby.

On "Succession," Kieran Culkin's character Roman Roy has had some very odd relationships — including a twisted flirtation with J. Smith Cameron's character Gerri. In the real world, Culkin is settled down with a wife and two children.

Culkin first met Jazz Charton by chance at a bar. "I said, 'I'm Kieran. You have an English accent. What's your name?'" the actor recalled to The Hollywood Reporter. "She said, 'Jazz.' I said, 'J-A-Z-Z, like the music?' And she said, 'Yeah.' And I said, 'Well, that's f****** stupid.'" Apparently, Charton had been on a date with another guy at the time, but the pair hit it off and married one year later. The pair went on to have two children together. When he's not working, Culkin is happiest at home with his family. "I live in a very small little world," he said to Access Hollywood in 2023. "I'm at work and if I'm not, I'm at home with my wife and kids. I don't really do anything."

Nicholas Braun plays cousin Greg on "Succession." The character has never had much luck when it comes to romance. We all remember that hideously awkward interaction with Comfry when he inexplicably turned into a southern belle while flirting (via YouTube). 

Braun is one of the few actors who might have a little in common with his character. Like Greg, Braun has never had a long-term relationship. The actor told The New York Times in 2021 that he had struggled with relationships in the past but was interested in love. "[I'm] fascinated by romance and courting another human ... I haven't really been in a long-term relationship, ever," Braun said. He went on to explain that fear usually got in the way. "I do yearn for it and yet I'm incapable of it," he said. "I go toward it and then I hit a wall where I'm like, 'I can't go farther into this. I've got to exit.'" In fact, Braun is allegedly working on a project that will be what he calls a "relationship traumedy" based on his own experiences.

Since then, however, Braun has been spotted with an unknown female friend. The pair were even seen hugging at a Raptors game in March 2023. So who knows — maybe the actor has finally found love.

Matthew Macfadyen plays the power-hungry, somewhat goofy Tom Wambsgans on "Succession." But in real life, he's one-half of one of Britain's best acting power couples. Macfadyen married British actor Keeley Hawes in 2004 after meeting her on the set of "Spooks." At the time, Hawes was actually married to Spencer McCallum. "There was an obvious attraction between them," said one colleague to the Daily Mail about Macfayden and Hawes. "It's been a difficult situation for them."

Since tying the knot, Macfadyen and Hawes have managed to make their relationship work despite their busy schedules. As the actor told The Times, they try to make it a rule to see each other and their children at least once every three weeks, even when they're working. However, during the pandemic, Macfadyen found himself trapped in the U.S. "It was weird. I was just sitting on my own, praying for days where I worked," he said.

Luckily, the pair recently got the chance to act together in the series "Stonehouse." While filming, they lived together in an Airbnb. "In the evenings, we cooked and watched TV. It was a bit like a working holiday, actually," Macfadyen told Express. After struggling with time apart while he filmed "Succession," it was, he said, "heaven."

Alan Ruck plays the eldest Roy child Connor in "Succession." In season three, he proposed to his girlfriend, Willa, but despite the coming wedding, the couple hardly seem to be well-matched.

In real life, Ruck has had two marriages. He was married to his first wife, costume designer Claudia Stefany for 20 years before their split in 2005. He married Mireille Enos, an actor known for "Hanna," "World War Z," and "If I Stay." The pair have two children together. When Enos was pregnant, Ruck helped her continue her acting career. "My wife's career rocketed when she got pregnant with our first kid so I was, like, this is my wife's time. I'm Mr Mom," he told the Evening Standard. Apparently, when the "Succession" audition came around, he almost considered skipping it because of his commitments to his family. Luckily, the couple made it work. And it seems to be going well. In 2020, Enos gushed to People: "Everything is going beautifully. The kids are healthy, work is going well and my husband is amazing."

J. Smith-Cameron plays the tough-as-nails executive Gerri in "Succession." Her character is a widow, who was once married to fellow Waystar Royco employee, Baird. In real life, Smith-Cameron is married to Kenneth Lonergan, the playwright behind plays like "This Is Our Youth" and "The Waverly Gallery" and films such as "Manchester By The Sea" and "Margaret," which incidentally starred by Smith-Cameron and a young Kieran Culkin.

The pair first met by chance in a theater. "When we met, we had a little snappy exchange," Smith-Cameron told The New Yorker. The pair tied the knot in 2000 and have one daughter. The pair worked together on the film "Margaret," which Lonergan wrote for Smith-Cameron. As he told That Shelf, it was "the only time [he had] ever written consciously for a specific actor." At one press event, he even said: "Everything I do is inspired by her" (via Twitter).

Dagmara Dominczyk plays Karolina, Waystar Royco's overworked head of PR. In real life, Dominczyk is married to fellow actor, Patrick Wilson, who you may know from "The Phantom of the Opera," "Aquaman," "Watchmen," or "Fargo." The two actors met while studying drama at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, though they were in different years. Eventually, they both went on to begin careers on stage and screen. As they admitted during a live event at Montclair State University, they both kept an eye on each other. Wilson said he was blown away by her performance in "The Count of Monte Cristo," while she had the same experience watching him in "Angels in America."

Then, they crossed paths again. "We met at an alumni event," said Wilson during an interview with Steve Adubato (YouTube). "Yes, 10 years later we remet," added Dominczyk. They tied the knot in 2005 and had two children. The pair finally got the chance to act together in 2019 for the "24 Hours Plays" fundraiser.

Justine Lupe plays Willa, the ex-escort who is engaged to Connor Roy. There isn't too much information about Lupe's relationship history, but rumor has it, she is currently dating Germain Gulick. The actor posted a picture of the pair kissing on Instagram in February 2021, writing: "Happily belated to my [heart emoji.] You are the warmest nook." She also allegedly posted a photo of her dog, alongside the caption: "One long year since we adopted this Lil champ," which led fans to wonder whether she and Gulick had adopted the dog together. The posts have since been deleted.

Gulick also works in the film and TV industry. According to a biography published alongside his short film "Trifles" on the National Board of Review, he is or was a Master's student at the Tisch School of the Arts. He also has a few behind-the-scenes credits on IMDb, having apparently worked as a producer on Starz's "Warriors of Liberty City."

Arian Moayed played fan-favorite Stewy, a friend of Kendall's who becomes increasingly involved in the company as the show goes on. He is married to actress and yoga teacher Krissy Shields with whom he has two children. Although the date of their marriage is unknown, Shields revealed on Twitter in 2023 that she and Moayed have known each other for 20 years. Shields has appeared in a number of projects, including "The Christians," "As the World Turns," "The Last Gamble," and "The Accidental Wolf," but her acting career is a little more understated than her husband's. 

She is also the founder of a wellness company called Maha Mama, which offers yoga training and workshops for mothers. As Moayed told W Magazine: "My wife would be the first to tell you that she's not only into astrology, but she's into all types of energies and healing."

Alexander Skarsgård joined the "Succession" cast in 2021 as Lukas Matsson, the tech founder interested in buying Waystar Royco. For several years, Skarsgård has been rumored to be dating fellow actress Tuva Novotny. According to fan rumors, the pair have been dating for a few years without going public. A Swedish outlet, Aftonbladet, also reported that she joined him at the premiere of "The Northman" but asked not to be photographed with him. In 2022, their relationship was finally confirmed when Skarsgård announced they had their first child while at the "Succession" Season 4 premiere. The couple was photographed with their newborn baby in New York City in November 2022.

Novotny, like Skarsgård, is originally from Sweden. She has appeared in English-speaking projects such as "The Kingdom," "Annihilation," and "Bog McEnroe" along with several Swedish films and TV shows.

Harriet Walter, who plays the Roy matriarch, Lady Caroline Collingwood, is a well-known British actor, having appeared in "Sense and Sensibility," "Killing Eve," "The Young Victoria," and more. Walter had a long relationship with actor Peter Blythe, who died in 2004. Walter went on to marry another fellow actor, Guy Paul, at the age of 60 after meeting Paul in 2009 on the Broadway set of "Mary Stuart." Paul had a "small part," Walter told The Guardian, while she played the lead.

Apparently, tying the knot later in life has its benefits. "As you get older, you're more comfortable with flux and changes," Paul said. "If there is a day when you can't bear each other, you know it is just going to be that day. When you are young, you don't have the patience — you bugger off." Walter added that she and Paul were able to see each other as individuals, which made all the difference. "In relationships, there is me and you — and this third character who is us," she said. "And if you separate, divorce or are parted, you have to pick up the 'you' that you were when alone. What gets negative is when people fix each other in a role." Sounds like Walter has a very healthy marriage — certainly a lot healthier than her character's relationship with ex-husband Logan on "Succession."