10 Best Supporting Stars Of ‘Succession’, Ranked

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Power in ‘Succession’ shifts fast, and the supporting ensemble keeps those gears turning. Corporate fixers, outside investors, in-house lawyers and media operatives shape every board vote, every back-channel text, and every on-air decision at the family’s news empire. Together, they supply the practical levers that move the Roys’ world—contracts, numbers, crisis lines, and leverage.

This list spotlights ten key supporting performers whose characters drive acquisitions, proxy fights, government scrutiny and newsroom calls that alter the company’s fate. You’ll find who they play, what roles they hold inside or adjacent to Waystar Royco, and the concrete moves they make that set off the show’s biggest chain reactions.

Alan Ruck — Connor Roy

HBO

Alan Ruck plays Connor Roy, the eldest Roy sibling, who lives largely outside the company’s day-to-day management while holding a significant family share. His storyline tracks his independent political bid, his relationship with playwright Willa Ferreyra, and his efforts to convert family stature into government-facing opportunities, including interest in diplomatic posts.

Connor’s campaign intersects with Waystar Royco’s interests through donor circuits, media coverage, and election-night expectations at ATN. His choices affect the Roy brand, factor into negotiations with political power-brokers, and surface questions about the optics and liabilities of a family-owned media conglomerate operating in national politics.

Fisher Stevens — Hugo Baker

HBO

Fisher Stevens portrays Hugo Baker, a senior strategic-communications operator who manages market narratives during mergers, leadership turbulence and regulatory pressure. He works under Karolina Novotney within corporate communications, coordinating with investor relations and legal to prepare statements, talking points and controlled leaks during sensitive windows.

Hugo’s assignments include shaping messaging around due-diligence findings, executive changes and litigation exposure. His internal briefings, off-the-record guidance and timing of disclosures are used to influence share-price reactions, steady board posture, and frame the company’s position during acquisition talks.

Dagmara Domińczyk — Karolina Novotney

HBO

Dagmara Domińczyk plays Karolina Novotney, head of corporate communications at Waystar Royco. She oversees press strategy across crises—workplace scandals, government investigations, leadership transitions—and coordinates how executives appear in public settings, from earnings-adjacent interviews to high-stakes conferences.

Karolina’s responsibilities include drafting legal-vetted statements, managing reporter access, and aligning messaging with board strategy during mergers and divestitures. In practice, she balances multiple audiences—employees, investors, regulators and media—so the company maintains negotiating leverage while avoiding disclosure missteps.

Peter Friedman — Frank Vernon

HBO

Peter Friedman appears as Frank Vernon, a longtime lieutenant who serves as vice chair and provides institutional memory from earlier corporate battles. He advises on procedural mechanics of votes, committees and succession protocols, and acts as a steady liaison between directors and senior executives.

Frank’s relationships with lenders, outside counsel and fellow board members are used during proxy contests and takeover bids to count and secure votes. He helps structure emergency leadership arrangements, drafts board resolutions under time pressure, and supports investor communications when sudden shifts risk market confidence.

David Rasche — Karl Muller

HBO

David Rasche plays Karl Muller, Waystar Royco’s chief financial officer. He oversees capital structure, debt covenants and acquisition modeling, supplying risk assessments when the company faces revenue volatility or litigation that could affect guidance.

Karl’s financial analysis informs decisions on whether to pursue or resist outside offers, how to present forecasts, and when to adjust strategy to satisfy lenders and ratings sensitivities. During the tech-deal push, his valuation work on synergies, cash flows and regulatory scenarios helps the board price the transaction and sequence disclosures.

Arian Moayed — Stewy Hosseini

HBO

Arian Moayed portrays Stewy Hosseini, a private-equity investor and Kendall Roy’s longtime associate whose capital injections come with voting power. He accumulates a stake in Waystar Royco and coordinates at times with activist partners to press for strategic change at the board level.

Stewy’s term-sheet conditions, board-seat negotiations and vote-trading with other shareholders shape key showdowns over leadership and sale options. Through coalition-building and deal mechanics, he determines whether the company fights, restructures or sells—and on what terms those outcomes proceed.

Nicholas Braun — Greg Hirsch

HBO

Nicholas Braun plays Greg Hirsch, Logan Roy’s grandnephew who enters the company at a junior level and attaches himself to decision-makers in the executive suite. He becomes a conduit for information among departments, legal teams and top leadership during investigations and internal power shifts.

Greg’s custody of documents is central during the cruises scandal and subsequent government scrutiny, placing leverage with whoever controls his records and testimony. He later facilitates contacts with the GoJo camp, relays sensitive data points, and assists during the ATN election-night operation where corporate priorities and editorial calls intersect.

J. Smith-Cameron — Gerri Kellman

HBO

J. Smith-Cameron portrays Gerri Kellman, longtime general counsel who also steps into senior operating roles during leadership gaps. She manages regulatory exposure, interfaces with the Department of Justice, and designs governance moves that keep the company compliant while preserving optionality.

Gerri mentors rising executives on what boards and regulators will accept, drafts strategies for emergency control, and negotiates the legal framework for sales and acquisitions. Her guidance directs how the company answers subpoenas, addresses executive-misconduct issues, and calibrates disclosures so major transactions withstand scrutiny.

Alexander Skarsgård — Lukas Matsson

HBO

Alexander Skarsgård appears as Lukas Matsson, the founder-CEO of tech company GoJo, whose offer to acquire Waystar Royco drives the endgame. He negotiates directly with members of the Roy family to shape price, governance and post-deal roles, using public communications and private assurances to maintain momentum.

Matsson’s deal requires regulatory clearance, financing assurance and validation of subscriber metrics that undergo intensive diligence. Internal debates over leadership slots and integration plans culminate in a board vote approving the sale, after which he selects a local chief executive to run the legacy business under GoJo ownership.

Matthew Macfadyen — Tom Wambsgans

HBO

Matthew Macfadyen plays Tom Wambsgans, who advances from division leadership into the top corporate seat by aligning with shifting centers of power. His marriage to Siobhan Roy links him to the family, while his operating posts range from parks and cruises oversight to responsibility for ATN during critical nights.

Tom manages legal exposure during the cruises fallout, provides sworn testimony under pressure, and serves as a key contact for the incoming owner during merger execution. After the sale closes, he is appointed American CEO of Waystar under GoJo, coordinating with the new parent on editorial risk, executive appointments and post-integration priorities.

Share your picks for the best supporting players in ‘Succession’ in the comments!

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