Kendall Roy
Kendall Roy is a fictional character and the main figure in HBO’s Succession, played by Jeremy Strong. He’s the second son of media giant Logan Roy and the heir to the family company, Waystar RoyCo. Across the series, Kendall fights to win his father’s approval while wrestling with power, loyalty, and his own growing need for control.
Background
Kendall was born in England in 1978. He has two younger siblings, Roman and Shiv, and a half-brother, Connor, from Logan’s first marriage. He moves to New York with his father and siblings and goes to elite schools, including Buckley and Harvard. Kendall spends time abroad learning the family business and forms important friendships, like Stewy Hosseini. He marries Rava, and they have an adopted daughter, Sophie, and a son, Iverson. Kendall battles addiction, which strains his marriage and creates other personal and professional complications. He is seen as Logan’s likely successor, but his father’s unpredictable leadership sets up a hard, risky path to power.
In Succession
Kendall’s story centers on his attempts to prove he can run the company. After Logan suffers a stroke, Kendall becomes acting CEO with his brother Roman as COO, but the family battles for control continue. He tries to close major deals, including a controversial move to acquire a media startup and later a big merger with a rival media group. Kendall’s relationship with Naomi Pierce intersects with these business plans, and a decades-long cover-up in the company’s cruise line business comes to light during Senate testimony.
Kendall’s arc is marked by intense ambition, fragile self-confidence, and repeated relapses into addiction. He wrestles with the question of whether he can be worthy of his father’s love and the power he seeks. At key moments, Logan pushes him to take the blame for the company’s wrongdoings, while Kendall’s own decisions push him toward both loyalty to his father and a craving for independence. A devastating car accident at Shiv’s wedding and a subsequent breakdown push Kendall toward a brink of personal collapse. He then pivots toward aggressive moves to take over the company, but his plans are thwarted by his father and, later, by the shifting alliances within the family.
After Logan’s death, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv try to control the company and plot a future outside their father’s shadow. They form a voting bloc and attempt to stop a sale to the tech giant GoJo, but ultimately the board vote ends in a stalemate, and Tom Wambsgans is appointed CEO with Shiv by his side. Kendall’s journey ends with him contemplating his next move, still hungry for power but aware of how fragile his position is within the family and the company.
Reception and legacy
Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Kendall Roy has been widely praised. He has won multiple major awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Drama, along with other honors. Critics have called Kendall one of the show’s standout characters and praised Strong’s intense, nuanced performance. By the end, Kendall is widely regarded as one of contemporary television’s most compelling figures, and his arc is seen as a defining part of Succession’s impact. In later assessments, Strong’s work in the role is highlighted as among the best TV acting of the century so far.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:55 (CET).