At “Succession” Party, the Talk is Rupert Murdoch’s Engagement

Hours sooner than the forged of the HBO drama “Succession” amassed for the premiere of its fourth and ultimate season, the news broke: Rupert Murdoch, 92, the chairman of the conservative media empire that owns Fox News, introduced in his own tabloid that he used to be engaged to Ann Lesley Smith, 66, a former police chaplain of San Francisco.

Commenters on-line famous that it seemed like one thing out of, neatly, “Succession,” which portrays the fictional Roy circle of relatives, a media dynasty locked in an intergenerational energy fight that bears an uncanny resemblance to that of the real-life Murdochs. (Lest there be any doubts, the sequence grew out of a screenplay entitled “Murdoch.”)

At the screening Monday evening at Jazz at Lincoln Center, “Succession” forged participants mentioned they had been unhappy the display could be finishing and with courtesy dodged questions on how it might conclude. But many had been sport to talk about Mr. Murdoch and the display’s central conflicts of affection, cash and tool.

Mr. Murdoch has “always been a player,” mentioned Nicholas Braun, whose persona Greg stammers on the outskirts of the Roy circle of relatives. “I hope he’s found the best love yet.”

Brian Cox, who performs the Roy circle of relatives’s fearsome patriarch, Logan, joined Mr. Braun on the midnight-blue carpet to throw again pictures of tequila in mini purple Solo Cups.

J. Smith-Cameron, who performs the basic recommend Gerri, mentioned she used to be no longer shocked through Mr. Murdoch’s late-stage engagement — partially as it sounded precisely like one thing Logan would do. “He’s this ruthless, really selfish person with a voracious appetite for life and a voracious appetite for riches and everything that goes with it,” she mentioned of the Waystar Royco government. “That power has really gone to his head.”

The announcement of Mr. Murdoch’s engagement got here an afternoon sooner than Fox News used to be set to offer oral arguments in the $1.6 billion defamation go well with introduced through Dominion Voting Systems. The go well with, which is anticipated to visit trial subsequent month, accuses Fox of knowingly spreading false information about the 2020 presidential election.

That timing didn’t appear coincidental to James Cromwell, who went from playing Rupert Murdoch in an Australian degree manufacturing of “Rupert” to taking part in Ewan Roy, Logan’s estranged, anticapitalist brother, on “Succession.”

“It’s all planned — nothing is off the cuff,” he mentioned. “They have the best and the brightest, hundreds of them in a room, thinking up things to do and things to say and things to present to the public that make them seem like they’re not responsible.”

Arian Moayed, who performs the easy investor Stewy, additionally wondered the cause at the back of Mr. Murdoch’s announcement. “This sounds awful, but I don’t know if he’s doing it for love,” he mentioned. “I think it’s a cool little distraction from everything that’s happening over there.”

“Succession” trades in no longer simply twisted industry and familial relationships, however in knotty romantic ones, too. There is Roman, the Roy sibling who unintentionally texts a bootleg image to his father. There is the triangle of hysteria between Logan, his spouse, Marcia, and his assistant, Kerry. There is Kendall, who invitations himself and his skilled entourage into his estranged spouse Rava’s rental indefinitely. And there is the strained marriage between Tom and Shiv, Logan’s steely daughter.

Sarah Snook, who performs Shiv, had no longer heard about Mr. Murdoch’s engagement. “That is bananas,” she mentioned. She mulled over what recommendation she may give to anyone marrying into the Murdoch circle of relatives or its fictional similar. “Run?” she instructed.

The news used to be additionally a marvel to Cherry Jones, who performs some other media wealthy person, Nan Pierce. “That old dog!” she mentioned. “I think anyone who chooses to be in that situation certainly has an inkling of what they’re in for.”

Guests accumulated HBO-branded M&M’s on their manner into the theater to look at the season’s first episode. The display’s author, Jesse Armstrong, took the degree and bid farewell to the forged. “We’ve been such a happy gang,” he mentioned. “I feel rather heartsick.”

Giggles, groans and the rustling of M&M baggage may well be heard all the way through the episode, which arrange a last face-off between Logan and his 4 youngsters (As Mr. Armstrong informed The New Yorker, the sequence’ name contains a promise.)

At the after-party in the within sight Ertegun Atrium, forged participants mingled with celebrities and media executives in muted fits and robes that may slot proper into the display’s gloomy-boardroom palette. There had been some exceptions: Fran Lebowitz wore denims, and the “Saturday Night Live” comic Sarah Sherman wore a protracted coat embroidered with cannolis.

Matthew Broderick descended a staircase in a black-and-gray plaid jacket, and Jeremy Strong, who performs Kendall and wore a monochromatic brown ensemble with turquoise shoes, helped himself to caviar served like miniature ice cream cones.

In The New York Post article that broke the news of the engagement, Mr. Murdoch mentioned, “I dreaded falling in love — but I knew this would be my last.” He added: “We’re both looking forward to spending the second half of our lives together.”

Alan Ruck, whose persona Connor proposes to his female friend in the 3rd season, used to be much less starry-eyed about the complete undertaking. He prompt the couple to organize for the worst: “Prenup,” he mentioned. “Get it in writing.”