Succession star Jeremy Strong has opened up about the one scene in the satirical drama that he advocated cutting and fans will likely be able to guess what it is.

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He plays Kendall Roy in the drama from Peep Show co-creator Jesse Armstrong, which tells the story of in-fighting and betrayal among a family who own a powerful media company.

In one memorable season two episode, Kendall decides to honour his father by performing a rap about him in front of their friends and family.

The scene went on to become a firm favourite among Succession fans, spawning a number of memes, but Strong was initially sceptical about whether it was a good idea.

"I advocated cutting it immediately," he revealed. "I said ‘Oh, God, it’s going to be silly.’"

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Ultimately, he put faith in Armstrong's sharp satirical writing, particularly after he was sent a video of billionaire oil heir Michael Hess performing a rap at his own 30th birthday party. Clearly, there's a precedent.

"Jesse always knows how to go too far. He knew it was just where the show lived," he told The Wrap. “But I did think, ‘This might just be silly and I don’t know how we pull this off.'"

In the end, Strong actually enjoyed performing the elaborate scene, but admits to having no past experience in rap whatsoever.

He added: "What I loved about that is that it was an example of a way in which Jesse put me through the wringer. I like to take risks, but that one certainly I haven’t done before.

"I had three or four days to prepare and learn and do it. So it felt like walking the plank. And it was fun."

Strong recently bagged a nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 2020 Emmy Awards, which will be held on Sunday 20th September.

The third season of Succession has encountered some major delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, but showrunner Armstrong is keen to start filming in the "not-too-distant future".

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Succession is available to stream on NOW TV. Sign up for a seven-day free trial of NOW TV’s Entertainment Pass, autorenews at £8.99 a month until 31st August 2020, £9.99 thereafter unless cancelled. If you're looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide.

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