Brian Cox has played one of television's most ruthless characters, but the Succession star made it clear that his opinion of Donald Trump was anything but fictional when he delivered a blistering attack on the US president during a televised political debate.
The Scottish actor, best known for portraying media mogul Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, described Trump as a "monster" and questioned his suitability for the White House during Channel 4's coverage of the US presidential election on November 5, 2024.
What made the exchange particularly memorable was that Cox wasn't simply delivering a political monologue. He was responding to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had been defending aspects of Trump's record.
Brian Cox's brutal assessment of Donald Trump
Appearing remotely from London, Cox made his feelings unmistakable, declaring: "He is a monster, he really is."
He went further, describing Trump as "deeply mentally unstable" and arguing that he should not be entrusted with the presidency.
These were Cox's personal political opinions, rather than a clinical assessment of Trump's mental health.
According to The Independent's contemporary account, the confrontation unfolded after Johnson challenged concerns about Trump's potential approach to Ukraine.
Johnson had suggested that fears about Trump abandoning Ukraine were misplaced. Cox rejected that argument, accusing the Republican politician of putting his personal interests ahead of those of the country.
The disagreement also produced an unmistakably awkward television moment, with Cox visibly glaring at Johnson as the former prime minister defended Trump.
His criticism didn't stop after the election
Although the televised confrontation took place in November 2024, Cox's opposition to Trump extended beyond election night.
Speaking to The Guardian shortly after Trump's victory, the actor expressed his disappointment at the result and argued that artists had a responsibility to continue speaking out about politics.
Rather than retreating from his comments, Cox made clear that he intended to remain an outspoken critic of the incoming administration.
He also acknowledged that the election result had left him deeply troubled, despite having spent considerable time living and working in the United States.
The actor subsequently suggested that he would try to spend more time in Britain, although his family connections meant he could not simply abandon his life in America.
For anyone familiar with Cox's explosive performances in Succession, the intensity of his delivery might have seemed familiar. But his comments about Trump were neither scripted dialogue nor a publicity stunt for the series. They formed part of a genuine political disagreement, broadcast live as Americans were deciding who would occupy the White House.
