IN terms of politics, Succession actor Brian Cox could not be more different from his character Logan Roy.
In the hit HBO show, Cox plays the CEO and founder of media conglomerate Waystar Royco – a ludicrously wealthy man who appears to stop at nothing to get what he wants.
According to the character’s brother, Ewan Roy, the media mogul is “morally bankrupt … a nothing man who may be more responsible for the death of this planet than any other single human being”.
He adds: “In terms of the lives that will be lost by his whoring for the climate change deniers, there’s a very persuasive argument to be made that he’s worse than Hitler.”
Cox said last year that the underlying themes of the show reflect the “entitlement” of politicians in the UK and US political climates.
In reality, the award-winning Dundee-born actor describes himself as a socialist – and is committed to Scottish independence.
Cox was a Labour Party member for a long time, but ahead of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence decided to speak in support of leaving the Union. In 2015, he announced he had quit the pro-Union Labour Party and joined the SNP. His home city had been one of the few local authority areas in Scotland to vote in favour of leaving the Union.
READ MORE: Brian Cox is just the latest Scots celeb to get pelters over his independence views
Writing to the party’s general secretary at the time, Iain McNicol, Cox said the people of Dundee had shown “great fortitude in their choice of socialism and independence and are very much on the right road”.
He added that Labour’s “empty rhetoric” had led to “great disillusionment” with the party across Scotland.
Cox went on: “I feel the Scottish National party is the party taking forward values of social justice and represents Scotland’s best interests and that is why I have, like many other Labour supporters, decided to become a member of the SNP.”
Since then, Cox has been a passionate supporter of Scottish independence. Here are four quotes setting out his position in the years since 2015.
Speaking at Bafta Tea Party event in January 2020
"I would think we need to look at it, I think we need a referendum and see what we think. We've been sidelined for so long and treated really not very well. And not taken very seriously.
"Eventually you can push people so far and they're finally going to say 'enough is enough’.
"Really, we need to take care of our own destiny, finally."
Speaking to the Football, Feminism and Everything in Between podcast in February 2020
"I am an internationalist. It is possible for us to be independent and internationalist and I would be much happier if they were the 'Scottish Independence Party'.
"If I felt Scotland could be an independent country in Europe, that would be my ideal now.
"The idea that this government has the faintest clue or interest in Scotland – forget it."
Speaking to The Guardian in October 2021 on his dislike of the word “nationalism” and touching on the breakdown of Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond’s relationship
“There’ll be other parties [than the SNP], and the paradigm will have to shift when we become an independent country.
“I’m very disappointed with the battle that’s gone on between Nicola and Alex.
“But Nicola is doing an astonishing job. And I think it’s up to the women anyway. I think women should be running the show. I’m a white dinosaur.”
Speaking to the Radio Times in October 2021
“I now think Scottish independence will happen, and will happen in my lifetime, which I never would have credited. Back in the 90s, I never believed in the President Sir Sean Connery stuff. But now I think something similar could happen.”
Voicing an SNP campaign video in November 2020
“We’re the ideal size to succeed.
“Seven of the 10 richest developed countries in the world have populations similar to or smaller than Scotland’s.
“None of them have any natural advantages, except one – they are independent.
“Now more than ever it’s vital that Scotland’s future is in Scotland’s hands.
“Our journey to independence has begun, and we are ready. Next year’s election will be the most important in Scottish history. Every single vote will count.”
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