Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch‘s son James has opened up on the Succession-style family in-fighting battle for control of his father’s empire – though he cannot bear to watch the hit TV show.
James Murdoch has revealed it would be too ‘painful’ to tune in to the HBO series widely seen as based on 93-year-old Rupert’s News Corp and its potential legacy – while also launching a public attack on his father.
But he also suggested that other relatives could be helping feed storylines to makers of the show, which starred British actor Brian Cox as Logan Roy – an apparent nod to Rupert – as well as Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook.
British-born James, 52, who is believed by some to be one of the influences on Culkin’s Succession character Roman Roy – although the writers have never confirmed this – had quit News Corp’s board of directors in 2020.
His resignation letter raised concerns about ‘disagreements over certain editorial content’ and ‘other strategic decisions’ – and he has now spoken out more about the family firm feud.
James revealed how his father Rupert had sent him legal documents related to an ongoing court battle alongside a handwritten note saying: ‘Dear James, Still time to talk? Love, Dad. P.S.: Love to see my grandchildren one day.’
James has now told the Atlantic he did not reply, having been surprised by his father showing an interest in his grandchildren seldom seen before – while the younger son also revealed new details about the continuing family dispute.
He said he had never watched Succession, finding it ‘too painful’ – but other family members are said to have been ‘obsessed’ with the series, the Atlantic said.
James Murdoch (pictured in February 2023) has spoken out about the Succession-style family in-fighting battle for control of his father Rupert’s media empire
Billionaire tycoon Rupert Murdoch (pictured in June 2023) tried to entrench eldest son Lachlan as primary heir to his empire – but was dealt a legal blow in the US last December
The Murdoch family’s in-fighting has inspired the hit TV series Succession starring (left to right) Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Brian Cox, Sarah Snook and Alan Ruck
The Murdoch family fall-out comes after Rupert tried to entrench eldest son Lachlan as primary heir to his empire – but was dealt a legal blow in the US by a $15billion courtroom battle with three of his other adult children, it was revealed in December.
Nevada‘s commissioner ruled an attempted amendment to the family’s trust opposed by James, Prudence and Elisabeth Murdoch was a ‘charade’ and made in ‘bad faith’.
Rupert had reportedly dubbed his plan to tip the scales in favour of Lachlan as ‘Project Family Harmony’, according to the Atlantic – only for it to prompt a major rift among relatives.
The proposed amendment to the trust would not change the division of company shares between his four children, but it was about the control of the multibillion-dollar media empire, especially its crown jewel Fox News.
There is a clause that allows Mr Murdoch to amend the trust before his death so long as it is in the interests of his beneficiaries.
He and Lachlan last September sought to prove in sealed testimony that the latter’s more right-wing stance would better ensure the financial security of the businesses, while the rival three children including James are considered more left-wing.
Yet commissioner Edmund Gorman, in a sealed document seen by the New York Times, ruled against Rupert – with the mogul now said to be appealing the decision which still needs to be ratified by the Probate Court.
The trust, established in 2006, divides control of Fox News and News Corp – which owns the Sun and the Times in the UK – equally between Mr Murdoch’s four eldest children in the event of his death.
Rupert Murdoch (left) and his son James (right) are pictured here in October 2010, when the younger man was president and CE of News Corporation’s Europe and Asia operations
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch (left) is seen here with eldest son Lachlan in July 2015 in Idaho
Eldest daughter Prudence, has had little involvement in the family business, but at various times the other three – Lachlan, James and Elisabeth – have all been considered as potential successors.
In recent years though, Mr Murdoch senior had reportedly grown concerned that Fox News – the crown jewel of the collection – could drift from its lucrative right-wing moorings after his death, to reflect more centrist views of James and Elisabeth.
The family trust is said to contain stakes in companies worth $15billion (£12billion).
Under the terms of his 1999 divorce from his second wife, journalist Anna Murdoch Mann, Rupert Murdoch’s children – he then had four of them – were promised equal and ‘irrevocable’ influence in running his newspapers and television channels after his death, as well as equal financial benefit.
But Murdoch has since been trying to hand Lachlan the power to outvote his three siblings who have voting rights in the trust – 66-year-old Prudence, Elisabeth, 56, and James.
And James described to the Atlantic how during last year’s Reno court hearings Rupert showed little animation but occasionally lifted and typed into his mobile phone.
James said: ‘He was texting the lawyer questions to ask. How f***ing twisted is that?’
James’s role within the family businesses had included serving as chief executive of BSkyB between 2003 and 2007 before becoming the firm’s non-executive chairman.
Among the stars of HBO show Succession were Kieran Culkin (left) as Roman Roy, one of the sons of Logan Roy played by Brian Cox (right)
He was also executive chairman of News International from 2007 until February 2012 before quitting amid the phone-hacking scandal which prompted the Leveson inquiry into Press ethics – having announced the News of the World’s closure in June 2011.
James has now told the Atlantic: ‘My father was always trying to pull everyone into the company so that he could manipulate them against each other.’
He described Rupert gathering his family in 2010 at an ancestral ranch in Cavan Station, Australia, for a counselling retreat with a therapist.
James has now said of their discussions: ‘It was a car crash – everyone was more alienated from each other at the end.’
He also described being shocked at being told in 2015 that Lachlan was returning from Australia to the US as chief executive of Fox and that James would report to him.
James, who had expected the role himself, says he responded: ‘No, I’m not going to do that.’
As it turned out, Lachlan instead became the firm’s non-executive chairman and James was put in joint charge alongside his father – but says he felt increasing misgivings.
These included concerns about the media empire’s support for Donald Trump, including after the US president spoke in 2017 of ‘very fine people’ marching alongside white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Siblings Prudence (left), James (centre) and Elisabeth (right) Murdoch are seen attending a court hearing in Reno, Nevada, last September as part of the family trust dispute
Rupert Murdoch (seen outside the Reno court last September) had tried to entrench eldest son Lachlan as primary heir to his empire
James’s wife Kathryn is reported to have asked him: ‘If you’re not going to stand up against Nazis, who are you going to stand up against?’
The younger Murdoch wrote in an email to friends, subsequently leaked to the media: ‘I can’t even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis.’
He encouraged others to donate to the Anti-Defamation League, as he and his wife handed the organisation $1million.
And in the same year the couple set up their charity the Quadrivium Foundation in 2020, he also issued a statement criticising Murdoch outlets’ coverage of bushfires in Australia.
It said: ‘Kathryn and James’ views on climate are well established and their frustration with some of the News Corp and Fox coverage of the topic is also well known.
‘They are particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary.’
The intervention reportedly angered others on the News Corp board of directors and James resigned amid suggestions he could be voted off, the Atlantic reported.
James then opposed proposals by his father in 2022 to merge Fox and News Corp, when the four oldest children were asked to sign a letter backing the move, before the merger plan was abandoned in January 2023 amid criticism from shareholders.
Married couple James and Kathryn Murdoch are pictured here at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, California, in March last year
The hit HBO drama show Succession ran for four series between 2018 and 2023
The subsequent court case over Rupert’s plans to amend the family trust in favour of Lachlan pitted siblings against each other in court.
But James has told the Atlantic how he, Prudence and Elisabeth did try to build bridges last winter – writing to their father to say: ‘Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us and the three of us wanted to reach out to you personally to say that we miss you and love you.
‘Over and above any other feelings all of us may have – of upset and shock – our unifying emotion is sorrow and grief.
‘We are asking you with love to find a way to put an end to this destructive judicial path so that we can have a chance to heal as a collaborative and loving family.’
Mr Murdoch senior is reported to have responded by saying he had reread the court testimony ‘only to conclude that I was right’ and saying further contact should be between their respective lawyers, adding: ‘Much love, Dad.’
The Atlantic quoted a spokesperson for Rupert and Lachlan as responding by calling new claims by James a ‘litany of falsehoods’ and which came ‘from someone who no longer works for the companies but still benefits from them financially’.
The article on the family in-fighting also suggests James and his wife Kathryn thought his sister Elisabeth had leaked some story ideas to the team behind Succession – though she is said to have denied this.
Showrunner Jesse Armstrong told the publication that he and fellow writers merely drew influences from media reports, adding: ‘I think there’s a bit of psychodrama around this sort of thing.’
