Known for his striking intensity and deep commitment to his craft, Jeremy Strong has become a leading figure in contemporary American acting. His enigmatic performances – reminiscent of a bygone era of method acting – both captivate and unnerve audiences, and have cemented his status as a chameleon of the art.
Born and raised in a working-class family in Boston, Massachusetts, Strong discovered his passion for acting at a young age and launched his career at Yale College. After brief stints studying in London and Chicago, he started appearing on New York stages, earning rave reviews for performances in “The Coward” and “A Man for All Seasons.”
In recent years, Strong has gained international recognition for his work on television and in film. His portrayal of troubled media mogul Kendall Roy in the hit HBO series Succession has earned him multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe for Best Actor. Electrifying turns in films such as The Big Short, Molly’s Game, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 have also gained consistent critical acclaim.
A dedicated bibliophile, Strong revealed 10 books that have most impacted his life and work while taking part in GQ’s Things I Can’t Live Without video series. From Karl Ove Knausgaard’s six-volume meditation on life to Michael Wolff’s biography of Rupert Murdoch, explore his book list below, and complement with the reading recommendations of his Succession costar Brian Cox.
Jeremy Strong’s Reading List
My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard (also rec’d by Mark Duplass)
“The most honest expression of life that I’ve ever read anywhere.” -JS
The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (also rec’d by Bill Hader, David Lynch, Joan Didion, Norman Mailer, Philip Roth & René Redzepi)
The Man Who Owns The News by Michael Wolff
Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust (also rec’d by Carson McCullers & St. Vincent)
“These books saved me because I didn’t have much of a social life.” -JS
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (also rec’d by Jodie Foster, Matt Haig & Sue Monk Kidd)
Alma Mahler-Werfel Diaries, 1898-1902 by Alma Mahler-Werfel
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (also rec’d by Pete Buttigieg)
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
(via GQ)
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