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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ย. 2024
- #succession #romanroy
Ever wondered why Roman won't seem to sit normally? In this short video I discuss why that might be.
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Fair Usage Policy Disclaimer: This video contains brief excerpts and commentary from HBO's television series "Succession" for the purposes of criticism, commentary, and education. The clips have been used in accordance with the fair use doctrine under the United States copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). This video is transformative in nature and aims to provide insights, opinions, and educational content related to the show. No copyright infringement is intended, and all rights belong to their respective owners. Any other use of the copyrighted material, beyond the scope of this disclaimer, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Music by Slip.stream - "Distant Fires" - slip.stream/tr...
Roman Roy, weird sitting, funny scenes, best of roman roy.
Perfect mix of ‘crouching impishly on a fence like the devil’ and ‘awkward and uncomfortable’ and ‘I own this space’ and ‘I dont belong in this space’
Roman’s character does always look like he’s profoundly uncomfortable. And he has the best lines. I started watching for Keiran and was not disappointed.
I always love when Logan calls him “Romulus”
as someone who cringes (for my own cultural reasons) whenever a character sits or stands on a table, i had noticed, and put it down to him not feeling safe or welcome in most spaces, and perches and flits like a little bird in comparison to Shiv's power poses and Kendall's over produced ego inspired tableaus. great channel and awesome video- hope you blow up~
Thanks for the kind words! I appreciate it :)
expert analysis! 🙂
Fascinating that Culkin figured to do this on his own. And it suits the character of Roman so perfectly! Would love to find out what experts on body language may have to say about this too.
As absolutely off the wall and batshit the Roman Roy character is, it is also totally believable. Keiran Culkin is absolutely amazing.
I've always interpreted Roman as having ADHD, from his impulsivity and fidget-y behavior, and his whole "I'm smart but I'm stupid" speech and the fact that he very slightly reminds me of myself. It also makes sense to me with the way he was described as a kid, as having gotten hit and also having had tantrums/freak outs. I don't think he's likely to have been diagnosed and instead it contributed to him being seen as a the weakest dog. His inability to sit normally fits into this framework for me tbh.
... But it could also be myself projecting lmao.
me too. he seems ADHD.. i might too be projecting..lol
Same! That speech was exactly what made me think about it. And his inability to sit in chairs fits so well! I always find myself in the most weird of places and positions while trying to work or do anything, really.
I think he has borderline personality disorder (BPD), which has a lot of overlap with ADHD but is mostly caused by childhood trauma. It causes impulsivity, irritability and emotional dysregulation similar to adhd, but without the attention issues. (Sometimes he appears to have attention issues but honestly I think it’s more that he genuinely doesn’t care enough to really try at the beginning.) BPD also causes feelings of emptiness, fear of abandonment, and extreme difficulties with interpersonal relationships. Also adhd and bpd are likely to occur together so maybe he has both?
For all the great actors on Succession, Kieran has blown me away he’s a great actor and I hope he gets to do any role he wants after this.
Well put! To add another meaning, I always thought of this behavior as an a way of leveling up his eye contact with the person he is talking to (as in your favorite example). Succesion is all about relations and power, and that may have been his better solution to his short stature.
Great video, man! It's crazy to learn that Kieran wasn't told to do all this.
I think it's also very childish, the way he sits, and Roman can be...you know, pretty childish. It's almost like he's always pushing it to have someone tell him to just sit the fuck down and be normal. I think I gotta rewatch to see if he sits more normally when Logan is around.
Thanks for the kind words mate.
One thing I did spot (after I made this video) was that in the scene where Logan's convincing Roman to go and make a deal with Eduard for the Sovereign Wealth money, Logan is the one sat on the stairs. I'ts almost like he's mimicking how Roman would usually sit. Whether it helps Logan manipulate Roman in that particular scene, it's hard to say, but I found it intriguing.
I think he’s overwhelmed by his own life.
It’s like when you have a panic attack you just can’t sit. The world feels like a threat and sitting is the last thing you want to be doing. But he also wants to convince himself he’s not under threat.
You can see when the rocket blows up he puts it away calmly because he’s disassociating from reality at that point.
He has spent his entire life surrounded by tigers but is expected to remain calm at the same time.
if i was an actor i would probably be doing it unintentionally as i embody the character, roman's character is very all over the place so it makes sense that when im in character i just can't sit still or sit normally
Nah I think we SHOULD bring back the deep analysis of things on tv, so we get more high quality things to watch back. Kieran is such a great actor, he understood Roman and just conveyed him effortlessly.
He sits on the floor. I wonder what’s going on.
In the episode where Logan died, Roman stayed on the floor. Bless his heart💛
I don't think it's rebellion. I think he has trouble taking himself seriously. This is because of his mom and dad issues, they were never available. They never took time to bond and connect with him. He acts out for attention, for some kind of reaction because he was always ignored but he also sacrifices his character, reputation, image in the process, he knows it and it makes him uncomfortable but still recreates the same conditions he is used to.
He like an elf on a shelf. Very impish.
Also, he is always fidgeting when standing upright. his hands are often in the waist of his pants, fiddling with his belt, etc.
Yes! And he plays with his ear often, also.
It might also be he has back issues, which we saw from his personal trainer incident. And he does not care what people think as long as his sitting in a most comfortable position for him
I didn’t consider that!
His back spasms may also be a result of his constant state of anxiety brought on by his family situation.
@@coppercat3940 Not brought on by family as my family is the best but yes I have that in spades so that is plausible.
Given the strong indication of abuse and particularly of a SA variety, makes so much sense for the character
Another great vid, Kieran is unreal in this series. I agree with what you say here, I think a lot of Kieran the real dude just comes through in Roman which makes it great
As sb who can t sit normally, I analyzed myself profoundly and my conclusion is that the reason why I do it is close to what you said - comfort and power. In a weird way you are creating your own bubble and living in it by your own rules, not following the common norms. You dont have the personality to rebel out loud, so you do it in these small ways, regaining some semblance of control.
Ofc I dunno if the writors know of this "tick" or whether the actor just naturally slid into this mental state when he started playing Roman, but in my mind it really fits the character of Roman Roy who really wants to be seen asn somebody when inside he does feel like he is just BS.
Kieran came out and said he just did it on accident, didn't notice until somebody pointed it out to him, then he just had to keep going with it because they were a couple seasons in.😂
you got it! rebellion for sure.. and an "I don't care what anyone thinks I should do" attitude is what I was thinking. He is sure interesting to watch because you never really know what he's going to do. LOL
Also, a neurospicy human (character for sure, actor maybe?) just… trying to regulate his vagal nerve, however he can.
I feel like he can’t do anything like a “normal person,” even sit in a chair like a normal person, because he doesn’t think he is one. He thinks something is wrong with him, and he knows other people think so too.
Interesting analysis. I’ve always felt that he sits the way he does because he just doesn’t ‘fit in’ where ever he is.
Except he fits, he's not antisocial, he's a little eccentric that's it, this guy interacts with people all the time. Also he's quite charismatic.
@@damazywlodarczyk he FEELS like he doesn’t fit in is the thing. Logan instilled in him the idea that there’s something wrong with him, and he’s always carried that with him
When the kids went to the Pierce ranch I was on pins and needles - was Roman actually going to sit like a normal human? He did, in fact, showing that he is aware of himself in the context of the power dynamics of the situation.
Love me some Keiran!! I see it from a sort of medical way, as I had my spine fused over 54 years ago when I was 9 years old, and a rod and hardware put in from severe scoliosis and I was born with spina bifida. I feel like a cross between the Scarecrow on the pole and the Tinman all the time and when I see him do the "slouchy" things I would do most anything to be able to do that!! I am ram-rod straight all the time and long to do what he does :) I thank God I can even walk, so I shouldn't bark about it, but I am only human and for those of you that just plop in a chair and slouch, more power to you! :)
I totally get it! I never had any surgery but have had Severe scoliosis for years and now my vertebra are fusing together and I'm in the shape of a squished Z now. I can NOT sit in a hard chair or anything straight backed. It kills me. You went through a hell of a procedure and yes definitely lucky to be able to walk. My main fear in life I've had since I Was diagnosed at age 16 was #1 I MIGHT BE PARALYZED and #2 I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WALK. Not yet but tons of other limitations and I am 3 inches shorter as lumbar slipped and collapsing. I am happy to still be able to walk and not paralyzed yet.
I agree with your hypothesis. Thanks for pointing it out, it never really was something I particularly noticed.
I’m so glad to see someone address this, because watching the first few episodes I was intrigued by Roman’s apparent inability to sit straight or respect furniture. I admire Kieran Culkin’s choices as an actor - unlike Jeremy Strong. I think all that method isn’t serving him very well. One amateur actor’s amateur opinion…
I think both actors are phenomenal in this in different ways. I think Jeremy's obsessive method focus imbues Kendall with such physical rigidity that he would need 'a straightener' lol just to attempt to sit upside down in a chair (and even then, he wouldn't be able to pull it off). Remembering when Roman took his shirt off, and Ken could barely unbutton a few buttons, and they were both amazingly physically awkward in opposite ways.
Roaming Roman and Ken Doll Kendall - their postures, mannerisms and walk are polar opposites but both show a sense of insecurity. Ken walks robotically and Roman is all over the place. Great video.
“Look man, I’m dumb but I’m smart.” Literally me and all of my friends
He sits in a chair quite comfortably during the episode “Living+”
I loved this, man. Short and to the point, and very interesting food for thought. Keep it up!
i just always think he’s anxious
He's Igby, all grown up!
his tight shirts look really uncomfortable too, i read somewhere that is was made like that on purpose
Culkin makes this character at the same time likable, disgusting, intriguing, lost. And in the end, the first to realise what is real. And he steals a lot of scenes from the likes of Brian Cox, Macfadien & Strong! Bravo.
Keep going man! great video
Thanks dude, much love!
100%! And Roman often eats a bite of something while on the go .. best was Roman sorta tasting a pastry from a buffet table - was disgusted by it - immediately returns to the party plate 😂 at his Waystar mngmt training (“business kindergarten”)
my autistic + ADHD ass wants to claim Roman as One of Us. For a lot of neurodivergents, our weird sitting connects to our proprioceptive sensory needs and possible connective tissue differences (hypermobility, etc.), but also potentially the things you mentioned - non-conformity, impulsivity, etc. The simultaneously feeling/being perceived as smart and stupid thing has a very neurodivergent, 2E kinda feel. Not to mention Roman being a bit of a kinky weirdo into someone twice his age, which is like me and half the autistics I know lmfao so.. 🤷That's my hot take of the morning, Roman's the neurodivergent af one of the bunch (not that none of the others have their own neurodivergent energy.. cough cough Greg, cough cough Kendall..)
As a bisexual who cannot sit straight I thought he might be one of us too (considering it's a well known in joke amongst the gays) - but can definitely see neurodivergence as a solid possibility as well. Although if it's not in the writing I think it's just one of those things that Kulkin brought in - a fidgety physicality, and also what someone else said about minimising his own position in the room, crouching, perching moving about.
@@dillimeinbilli lol yes, I personally feel like queerness & neurodivergence tend to exist as a Venn diagram that has more overlapping space than not. My thought process when seeing funky relatable sitting positions is like "are you queer? neurodivergent? hypermobile? all of the above?" lol but yeah, this is all very tongue in cheek commentary about a fictional character, and speculating as to whether the actor fits into any of these categories isn't necessarily my jam, though I also do think that the acting world is one with a ton of neurodivergent folks (and queer folks of course!) :)
@@spiralnerd Amen, friend. All of the above indeed
I feel is part of the character, he is uncapable of acting in a serious manner in his personal and work life, a way to deflect his insecurities, making sexual jokes, cussing. To change the mood and not engage in a serious manner and engage with the world the way he pleases. I dislike to sit normally too so I enjoy so much to see someone like me
Low key I think Kieran just sits like that normally from watching interviews it just happens to work well for the character too lol
Good video man, wish you luck! Looks like this video is getting some views, so I hope you carry that momentum. Can't wait for the final two episodes of the show.
Thanks mate, I really appreciate that! There’s loads more in the tank :)
And me too! But I’m definitely going to miss it when it’s gone, bittersweet.
Roman has major elemnts of histironic personality disorder sometimes called superficial personalty disorder
Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is a mental health condition marked by intense, unstable emotions and a distorted self-image. The word “histrionic” means “dramatic or theatrical.”
People with HPD often behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention
Oh wow I didn’t even think of hpd but that would make a lot of sense- I thought he had bpd but there’s a lot of overlap there so it could be either. (Or both?)
1:16 5 reasons why drinking milk on the toilet is kind of a game changer
Millionaire/Billionaire’s Children are never taken seriously As Enzo Ferrari said in the movie, You are not Henry Ford, You’re Henry Ford II
Culkin said he just decided to do it till it became a thing
Super common with people who have Ehlers-Danlos. Ask me how I know.
Kieran might be a lot more like Roman than most realize.
Yes, I've noticed! 😂
I had discover that at the chapter 4x3 hs can´t sit or in that momrnt to get out of the floor
You throw a Smartless bye at the end?
Toddler-parent guess here, but maybe he w-sat as a child, sitting all the time with his legs out in a w-formation. Kids who constantly do that growing up, end up with underdeveloped muscles in your legs and hips and leads to awkward sitting throughout their life.
That’s interesting, because I definitely used to do that (the w-sit thing) and I am now and adult who also sits in all the weird ways we see Roman sit in this video.
I think for me, part of the impetus towards weird sitting is also that I have very short legs, and my feet just kind of dangle on most chairs, which is very uncomfortable; I find that if I sit “properly” in a chair, end up with a lot of pressure on the veins and nerves right behind my knees, which is super uncomfortable. I also usually find that my thighs aren’t long enough for my back to actually reach the seat back; so I’m always trying to find a different way to use the seating infrastructure, so that maybe I can be more comfortable. (I’m also probably a bit less concerned with fitting in than average, and I’m privileged to be able to get away with that.)
But yeah… it looks like Mr. Culkin is only a couple inches taller than me, and it looks like he might also have a longer torso / shorter legs body type, my feeling is that it could be that he came into filming predisposed to sit in weird ways (for ergonomic reasons), and since the character, as written, didn’t require him to *not* do that… he went ahead and did so.
@@donotlendbookstome7923 I was wondering that too. In interviews he seems to sit normal, but he might be forcing himself and it's just uncomfortable as hell for him.
Same here with the sitting issue. I didn't even know w-sitting was a thing until the pediatrician called my kid out for it and explained it to us. He probably got it from me. I struggle sitting all the way back in chairs. I have to slouch.
I think his way of sitting is more of a I don't give a f attitude.
yes
he's just bisexual
I think it matters if it is on purpose.
If neither the writer nor the action was making a conscious decision to have this fictional character do anything, then it is more than likely not something to support or move the story.
It is a fantastic observation.
Gestures and mannerisms further and move the characterization, and can serve as symbolism and foreshadowing. The Living+ episode was the first time Roman sat up straight. It was also the first time he was in the office as a CEO.
great
His hair
From a high functioning austistic’s perspective he seems to be neurodivergent in some way. He has tons of symptoms but this one specifically is super common with people on the spectrum and who have tons of adhd which is probably what I’d guess is up with Roman. Like we just can not sit normally for some reason 💀💀
Although, he seems more socially adept then his brother Kendal. To me, it seems like their cousin Greg appears to be more on the spectrum; what do you think?
I was diagnosed by a therapist last week and I absolutely have this. Always have.
@@coppercat3940 hahaha I just wrote my own long comment above talking about why Roman totally reads as neurodivergent to me, but that he isn't alone in that and Greg & Kendall definitely strike me as having a lot of neurodivergent traits too. Greg totally reads as autistic to me, and Roman and Kendall do too (Roman's being combined with ADHD) but both in a more high masking way than Greg, though I feel like Greg is also developing his masking capacity over the course of the show as he pieces together more and more of the unspoken social rules and dynamics of the family and company. Kendall's lack of capacity to detect whether something he's creating/planning is super cool or super cringe, plus of course the addiction (which neurodivergent people are way more prone too), plus his rituals like listening to rap music to self sooth/get pumped up on his way into the office all feel pretty neurodivergent to me (I'm autistic + ADHD for reference).
Maybe ADHD?
or, it's JUST bi King Energy.
He really does look like De Niro in some scenes
I def see this! And from some angles, I also think he's like a younger Micheal Douglas
Yes but it wasn't even scripted
Thats what kids do.
Hi to Johnny come lateleed succession
ADHD
Ahh can’t sit - clever 🙈😂
ADHD?
just wanna let you know. byeee!
adhd
Romulus kills his brother. Just sayin'.
OOOOOoooo. Interesting!
I just thought it was because he was gay
it's just bisexual sitting
Bisexual people can't sit straight. Google it. As a bi guy, personally I think it's crazy accurate.
I have known A LOT of bisexual people in my life and they all could sit strait...
He’s neurodivergent
Can I get my 3 minutes back? You suggest you might be the first person to ever notice which only a complete moron would believe. Then play a clip discussing how many people have already noticed this. Then say Roman is a non-conformist rebel even though he spent his whole life bending his personality and thoughts to try to CONFORM to who he thinks Logan wants him to be. The show might be too complicated for you to try to think about.
No it isn't he said it is just something he did in the first episodes and then carried on...
Thanks for your comment :) that is mentioned in the video.
maybe watch the vid before commenting
@@bennett4789 Nope, never! Maybe it ia CLICKBAIT!
You are overinterpreting this. It's not important. It's a nice acting detail, and that's it. If he would sit super still and traditional, you would finf meaning in that. He is not the one who is writing the script.