‘I’d Rather Have You Say It’: Chris Wallace Asks Succession Star Brian Cox About His Profane Signature Line

CNN anchor Chris Wallace asked Succession star Brian Cox about his profane signature line from the show, which Wallace refused to utter himself.

On this week’s edition of HBO Max and CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, Wallace interviewed Cox and Hollywood star Eva Longoria.

Cox is the star of the HBO drama that begins its fourth season next week, and has introduced Cox — who holds the distinction of having been first to portray Hannibal Lecter on film in Michael Mann’s Red Dragon adaptation Manhunter — to a new generation of viewers.

In a preview clip obtained exclusively by Mediaite, Wallace asked Cox about a line that has become Cox’s “thing” on the popular cable drama, but denied audiences the chance to hear Chris Wallace say “fuck” by making Cox reveal the line:

Chris Wallace: You say in the book that an actor can own a line? And after he says it, nobody else can really ever say it again?

Brian Cox: Yeah

Chris Wallace: Your line is, and I’d rather have you say it than me.

Brian Cox: Fuck off

Chris Wallace: Yes, exactly. How did that come about? Was that yours? Was that the writers?

Brian Cox: No that was, that started, I don’t know how it started. I think it was [Succession creator] Jesse [Armstrong]. I think it was the writing. certainly the writing was the writing that but then I think it kind of envisaged its way through the whole show. You know, I don’t know if it was something that was meant as a theme. But it’s become something. I mean, people ask me to tell them to fuck off all the time.

This week’s episodes stream beginning Friday morning, and will be the final episodes of the show’s second season.

Watch above via HBO Max and CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace.