Why Succession Star James Cromwell Is Ok With Being Offensive

James Cromwell, star of HBO's Succession and farmer Hoggett from Babe, is an active supporter of PETA, often protesting alongside the organization no matter who he offends.

By Jennifer Asencio | Updated

James Cromwell is known for a variety of roles in movies and television shows that span five decades. However, the Succession actor is also known for his animal rights activism, and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to our furry, feathered, and finned friends. In honor of his being awarded PETA’s Person of the Year, he spoke to Newsweek about how he’s not afraid to be “offensive” or “unpopular” to ensure he gets his message out there.

With almost 200 acting credits to his name, James Cromwell has worked very hard during the span of his career. In addition to Babe and its sequel, he appeared in Star Trek: First Contact, LA Confidential, The Green Mile, and Big Hero 6 among a variety of roles on the big screen. However, the bulk of his career was in various television appearances, including Succession, American Horror Story: Asylum, and Star Trek Lower Decks, as well as numerous television movies.

Alongside his acting is a strong desire to protect animals from cruelty, including animal testing, exploitation, and abuse. James Cromwell has been arrested numerous times for demonstrations he has taken part in, dating as far back as the Vietnam War protests in 1971. He was most recently arrested in 2019 for disrupting a meeting at Texas A&M, where PETA was picketing against the treatment of dogs the university was using for medical research.

James Cromwell on being offensive: “I’m moved because comparatively, to what they go through every day, the issues that they face, the determination, the courage, the willingness that they show, in taking on issues that are unpopular. They do things that people find offensive or attention grabbing, but it works.”

In explaining his reasoning for supporting PETA, James Cromwell said “I’m moved because comparatively, to what they go through every day, the issues that they face, the determination, the courage, the willingness that they show, in taking on issues that are unpopular. They do things that people find offensive or attention grabbing, but it works.”

James Cromwell’s height works in his favor during these protests, as he is six feet seven inches, a formidable and intimidating presence. While it is hard to imagine Farmer Hoggett, famous for the line, “That’ll do, pig, that’ll do,” as an intimidating figure, he has put his talents to use for a variety of causes. He views institutions such as the government as failing us, and lends his voice, as well as his celebrity, to helping repair this social entropy.

James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett in Babe

Since he appears in so many projects, he has many opportunities to be interviewed in relation to his acting career, which gives him a platform for his advocacy. As he balances his activism with his acting career, James Cromwell takes the opportunities that he can to talk about current events that influence the causes he believes in. He claims that his off-camera work might make him disliked by producers and casting agents.

Whatever he might think producers think of him, James Cromwell managed to make his mark on his Succession character, Ewan Roy. Originally meant to be a younger brother sulking in petulance that he didn’t inherit the empire, the character was transformed into the Roy family conscience when the actor sat down with showrunners. He said he couldn’t play the role as it was written, but his suggestions gave the Roy family depth.

Although Season 4 of Succession is a long way off, James Cromwell has put his gentle nature to work in a Christmas movie called Prancer: A Christmas Tale for Sky Network. Fans who can’t wait for Ewan Roy to reappear can catch the actor by renting this sweet tale of a widow, his granddaughter, and a reindeer that just might be magical. Knowing how passionate he is about protecting animals can only give fans a deeper appreciation for both of these roles.