Who is the Roy family in real life?

The Roy family, central to the acclaimed television series Succession, is widely understood to be based on the Murdoch family, the prominent Australian-American media magnates.

The Real-Life Inspiration Behind the Roys

The parallels between the fictional Waystar RoyCo empire and the real-world media conglomerate of Rupert Murdoch are striking. Much like Logan Roy, the patriarch of the Roy family, Rupert Murdoch has built a vast global media empire, famously known through entities like News Corp.

Key similarities that highlight the Murdoch family as the likely inspiration include:

• Dominant Patriarch: Both Logan Roy and Rupert Murdoch are powerful, aging patriarchs who maintain tight control over their media empires, dominating their respective families and industries.
• Succession Dilemma: A core theme of Succession revolves around Logan Roy's consistent failure or refusal to definitively name a successor from among his children, keeping them in a perpetual state of competition and uncertainty. This mirrors reports that Rupert Murdoch, despite his long career, has similarly intended to pass down his company to one of his children but has never publicly named a clear successor to his media conglomerate.
• Media Mogul Status: Both families control vast news and entertainment holdings, exerting significant influence over global media landscapes.

The complex dynamics of wealth, power, and familial ambition depicted in Succession are largely drawn from the real-life machinations within media dynasties like the Murdochs, offering a captivating glimpse into the potential realities behind such empires.

Roy Family vs. Real-Life Counterpart: A Comparison

To better understand the inspiration, consider these direct parallels:

This close resemblance in structure, leadership, and the central conflict over succession underscores why the Murdoch family is widely considered the primary real-life basis for the Roy family in Succession.