Jesse Armstrong, the award-winning screenwriter behind HBO's hit drama Succession, has admitted to struggling with impostor syndrome despite his numerous accolades. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Armstrong said success has not silenced his self-doubt.
Armstrong, 55, described the creative process of a writers' room as 'walking on the moon' when it works well, but acknowledged the difficulty of writing alone. 'When it's not working and you feel you're not going to equal the best version of the thing you're trying to make, I would find that very, very difficult,' he said.
The writer, who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated film In the Loop and the Bafta-winning series Peep Show, noted that all good writers are 'riddled with self-doubt'. He explained that he often starts a project with a 70% feeling that it will be a disaster, balanced by a 10-30% confidence that it could be great.
Succession, which starred Brian Cox as media tycoon Logan Roy, concluded in 2023 after four series. It won 19 Emmys and nine Golden Globes. The full interview airs on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 from Sunday at 10am.
