J. Smith-Cameron on ‘Succession’
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 28 December 2021
⏱️ 21 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today on “Post Reports,” we talk to one of the people who brought us joy during a dark year: the actor J. Smith-Cameron. We cover her role as Gerri on “Succession” and how it feels to become a sex symbol in her 60s.
Read more:
J. Smith-Cameron is having a moment.
“Succession” Season 3 wrapped up recently – and one of the highlights for us was her character, Gerri Kellman, the calculating interim CEO of Waystar Royco. We talked to the actor about the show and what makes her character so fun to watch.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | As we on the post reports team were trying to survive these last few months of 2021, |
| 0:08.0 | one thing that really got us through was our collective obsession with the third season |
| 0:12.4 | of succession on HBO. |
| 0:14.8 | This show has brought us so much joy. |
| 0:18.4 | Succession is about a dysfunctional power-hungry family, and they own a large media company |
| 0:23.6 | called Wastar Royco. |
| 0:25.8 | The patriarch is this ruthless mogul named Logan Roy, and he has these four kids who are |
| 0:31.4 | constantly trying to steal their dad's throne. |
| 0:34.2 | But the woman who you always feel is like five steps ahead of everyone else. |
| 0:39.2 | Is this character Jerry Kelman? |
| 0:41.3 | I'm focused on whatever outcome best serves the financial interests of the shareholders |
| 0:46.1 | of the company. |
| 0:47.1 | But it doesn't serve my interests. |
| 0:50.3 | How does it serve my interests? |
| 0:52.9 | Jerry is Logan Roy's general counsel and eventually the interim CEO, and she's incredibly |
| 0:58.0 | savvy and clever with her power. |
| 1:00.8 | And she is played by an actor who has been highly successful in movies and plays for decades. |
| 1:07.2 | Hi, I am Jay Smith Cameron, and I am currently playing Jerry Kelman on succession. |
| 1:17.6 | This character Jerry has really become an icon. |
| 1:20.7 | He is thrilling to watch her wield her power in this brutal corporate world. |
| 1:25.9 | And she constantly surprises us. |
| 1:27.8 | She has this very unexpected flirtation with the youngest Roy sibling, Roman. |
... |
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