Succession's Sarah Snook ‘very upset' after finding out HBO drama was ending

The critically acclaimed and award-winning series following the world’s most powerful families is officially coming to an end with its fourth season, which premieres this weekend. Ahead of one of HBO’s biggest TV events of 2023, Sarah Snook revealed she didn’t know Succession would be coming to an end this year until later into production.

Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen

Snook confirmed she only learned season four would be Succession’s last when she sat down for the final table read.

The series has become a massive hit for HBO, and stars Brian Cox as Logan Roy, the tyrannical patriarch of one of the world’s biggest media empires.

Fans were also unaware the series would be concluding this year until an announcement was made this February, just a month before the season premiere.

“I was very upset,” Snook admitted when she found out Succession would not be getting a fifth season.

Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen

Cast of Succession

“I felt a huge sense of loss, disappointment, sadness. It would’ve been nice to know at the beginning of the season, but I also understand not being told until the end because there was still a potential that maybe this wasn’t going to be the end.”

Season four will pick up this Sunday after Shiv’s husband Tom Wambsgans (played by Matthew Macfadyen) tipped Logan off to his children’s revolt.

His anarchic meeting with Shiv and her brothers, Kendall (Kieran Culkin) and Roman (Jeremy Strong) left them without any hope of controlling Waystar Royco, leaving rival Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) free to swoop in.

Powered by showrunner Jesse Armstrong and the writers’ razor sharp scripts, the black comedy is once again poised to be a favourite at next year’s award season as it dominates the airwaves one last time.

Brian Cox and Sarah Snook

Sarah Snook and Matthew Mcfadyen

“Emotionally, all of us weren’t necessarily ready to be done with the show because we love each other so much,” Snook told the LA Times.

“But everything has to come to an end, and it’s smart not to let something become a parody of itself.”

Fans have also agreed it’s best to let Succession end on a high, though they will undoubtedly feel the loss once the credits have rolled on episode 10.

Although Snook was kept in the dark until the finale, creator Armstrong has admitted the end of Succession has been “present” in his mind for some time.

“You know, there’s a promise in the title of Succession,” he said for the New Yorker.

“I’ve never thought this could go on forever. The end has always been kind of present in my mind.

“From season two, I’ve been trying to think: Is it the next one, or the one after that, or is it the one after that?”

He also revealed he wasn’t 100 percent sure if season four would be Succession’s last when they began filming.

“I knew that this was probably it, or this was it,” he added. “But hadn’t had to face up to it in the world.”

An official synopsis for the final season reveals: “The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer.

“The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is completed.”

Succession season 4 premieres Sunday, March 26 on HBO in the USA and the following Monday on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.