Succession star Brian Cox has hit out at Russia over its invasion of Ukraine while collecting an award for his role in the hit TV series.
The Dundee-born actor and colleagues won the gong for Outstanding Performance Ensemble in a Drama Series for the HBO show at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Cox addressed the audience to call the situation in Ukraine “truly, truly awful” and to call out the suppression of free speech by Russia.
Cox addresses Russian invasion
Last week, Vladimir Putin launched a massive military invasion on Ukraine, drawing condemnation across the world.
The operation has forced thousands of Ukrainians to flee their homes and seek refuge in other countries, while more than a dozen children are said to have died.
Speaking at the ceremony, Cox said: “I think [what] is important to me and I hope important to you as actors and performers and writers and directors, [is] what’s going on in Ukraine.
The cast of @succession takes home the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 👏 #sagawards pic.twitter.com/frW546KySF
— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) February 28, 2022
“It’s truly, truly awful.”
The 75-year-old praised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in leading his country in resisting Russian forces, saying: “The president of Ukraine was a comic.
“He was a wonderful comic performer, and we should respect that.
“To come to the presidency was amazing.
“It’s particularly awful in terms of [how] it’s affecting people, particularly in our profession.”
Cox voiced his distress over the gagging of Russian artists and performers by the state.
He continued: “The thing that really distressed me is what’s happening in Russia, to my fellow actors and actresses and performers and writers and critics.
Actors ‘cannot say a word about Ukraine’
“They are told, under pain of high treason, they cannot say a word about Ukraine.”
Cox has called for support for the people in Russia who are against the invasion of Ukraine.
“I think that is awful. I think we should all stand together also for those people,” he said.
“The people in Russia who don’t like what’s going on, and particularly the artists.
“I think we should join and celebrate them and hope that they can make a shift, because I believe they can.”
Cox wore a face mask which carried his Succession character’s Logan Roy’s oft-used phrase, “F*** off”.
“I don’t know if you can read this,” he joked before removing the mask to make his speech.
