Succession Actor Brian Cox Shares The Story Of His Poverty-Stricken Childhood As He Explores The World Of The Rich And Poor In Documentary
Scottish actor Brian Cox has shared that he experienced extreme poverty as a child. While he has since developed from that situation, poverty is now his greatest fear, with money standing as his “personal demon.”
The Succession Star said that money was so tight for his family that he and his mother were left to survive on £10 when his father died, and she found that his savings was next to nothing. Their saving grace was a widow’s pension which was not even enough as it usually ran out before the end of the week. Left with not many choices, he had to go to a fish and chip shop to beg for the bits of batter that sank to the bottom of the fryer. That was what he and his mother lived on sometimes.
The beginning of his turnaround came when Brian got a grant to study acting at LAMDA, a renowned drama school in London. His subsequent commercial success as an actor has afforded him a better financial status. Yet he says his poor past has never left him. “It’s like the Damoclean sword that hangs over you throughout your entire life,” he said.
So huge is the impact poverty had on the 76-year-old that he still fears that all he has gathered will somehow be taken away from him and he will be plunged back into a state of hunger and lack.
The strange part about it all is that Brian said he never truly felt the impact of their lack when he was younger. According to him, he “just got on with it.” However, as he got older, he began to wonder how he ever navigated his life in that state.
The Golden Globe-winning actor is discussing his complicated relationship with money in a new two-part Channel 5 documentary, How The Other Half Live. In the series, he will be exploring the gap between the rich and the poor.
Brian’s involvement in the series is aimed at investigating the growing wealth gap across the world with his homeland and adopted country America as focal points. After four years of playing billionaire media mogul Logan Roy in the hit drama Succession, he was exposed to the inequity that needs to be addressed.
In the show, the Rushmore actor goes deep into his childhood, back to the Dundee home where he grew up. He journeys through how his father’s premature death led to extreme poverty. In contrast, he explores the other world and strolls through the wealthy playground of Miami and the soup kitchens of New York.
How The Other Half Live will be airing on Thursday, November 17, and Thursday, November 24.
