'Succession's Jeremy Strong Was Once a Determined Kid Who Walked on the 'Hocus Pocus' Set

Everyone has a dream. Some people dream small; they just want the simple things in life. Perhaps a house, a family, and contentment. Some people focus their dreams on a business, like opening a flower shop or making art.

And then there are people like Jeremy Strong. People who dream the impossible dream and then make it come true.

Before he was a superstar at the forefront of Succession, Jeremy Strong was just a little kid. A little kid who walked onto the set of Hocus Pocus made a powerful friend and turned a moment into an opportunity. Here's the heartwarming and surprising story.

Hocus Pocus did more than launch a new direction for Hollywood. One could argue it also launched the career of a future superstar Jeremy Strong. Prop master Russell Bobbit recounted the story to Rolling Stone of how he met Jeremy and was hilariously strong-armed into helping him start his career.

While filming, Russell remembered, a child of around eight walked up to him and said, “I know who you are. You’re Russell Bobbitt.” He remembers thinking, “OK, this is weird. Who are you? What’s your deal?” The child responded, “I just love movies. I pay attention to everything and I’m just really into it.” He asked Russell to exchange numbers, and his serious mein inspired the prop master to agree.

He didn't think much of it until he received a call from Jeremy at a later date, asking if he could come stay with Russell and his wife.

Young Jeremy was spending a week here, a week there, with different Hollywood professionals. The next year, Russell shared, Jeremy told him, “I’m spending a week with Ivan Reitman and another week with Al Pacino. I’d like to spend a week with you.” And so he did.

Jeremy also got into Yale, Russell recounted, by telling them that he'd have Al Pacino speak at commencement.

Russell concluded, "He went to school for law, but now he’s [Succession star] Jeremy Strong. When I see him now, I’m like, 'Oh my God, that’s Jeremy, my little friend from Hocus Pocus.'”

If that story doesn't encapsulate the personality Jeremy brings to his career, nothing does. And it's almost like he was made to play his Succession character, Kendall Roy. Playing alongside him as another Roy son, Roman Roy, is Kieran Culkin.

In 2025, they were both nominated for Oscars, and their wildly different reactions proved that they were made to play the Roy brothers; and made to play alongside each other.

Jeremy got the nod for his role as Roy Cohn in the Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice, while Kieran was tapped for playing cousin Benji in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain.

In response to the news that they would face off for the same Oscar, Jeremy released a statement which read in part, "This morning’s nomination is indescribably meaningful to me." He added, "This is a harrowing and courageous film that explores how we got to where we are today and was the role of a lifetime.”

Kieran, on the other hand, shared his reaction through his wife Jazz Charton.

She uploaded a since-deleted Instagram Story which showed Kieran pouring champagne with a text-over reading, "Let’s f--king gooooooo!"

If that doesn't prove that they play the perfect roles in Succession, nothing does.

Although it wouldn't really matter, because it's clear from Jeremy's childhood determination that he was going to fight his way to the top no matter what. Even if that means facing off with his "brother" for the Oscar.