Before Jeremy Strong Played Trump’s Mentor, a Play Captured Roy Cohn’s Terrifying Energy
Tony Kushner, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrightbehind the epic Angels in America, reveals why he included Roy Cohn, the closeted pitbull lawyer, in his masterpiece, and explains why he and his friendJeremy Strong, who portrayed Cohn in the play, never discussed the character.
Jeremy Strong, known for his intense method acting in HBO’s Succession,recently portrayed Roy Cohn, Donald Trump’s mentor, in the biopic The Apprentice. But long before Strong brought Cohn to the screen, another artist captured the essence of this controversial figure: Tony Kushner.
In his groundbreaking playAngels in America, Kushner introduced Cohn as a complex and morally ambiguous character, a man who wielded immense power while battling a deadly secret. The play, set in the 1980s during the height of the AIDS epidemic, exploresthemes of sexuality, politics, and the human condition, with Cohn serving as a powerful symbol of the era’s moral decay.
Cohn was a fascinating figure, Kushner told GQ in an exclusive interview. He was a man of tremendous energy, both terrifying and captivating. He was a master manipulator, abully, but also a brilliant legal strategist. He was a product of his time, but he also transcended it.
Kushner, who has known Strong for years, chose him to portray Cohn in a 2017 revival of Angels in America. The two never discussed the character, however. Ithink Jeremy understood Cohn’s essence instinctively, Kushner said. He didn’t need me to tell him how to play him. He brought his own intensity and brilliance to the role.
The play’s portrayal of Cohn resonated with audiences, capturing the character’s ruthless ambition and his struggle with his ownidentity. Cohn was a man who lived in the shadows, Kushner explained. He was a closeted gay man in a time when homosexuality was still taboo. He was a man who lived in denial, but he was also a man who knew how to use his power to get what he wanted.
Kushner’s decision to include Cohn in Angels in America was a bold one. It was a risky move to introduce a real-life figure into a fictional world, but it paid off. Cohn became a central character in the play, a symbol of the moral and political complexities of the era.
Cohn was aman who embodied the contradictions of his time, Kushner said. He was a powerful figure, but he was also a deeply flawed individual. He was a man who lived in the shadows, but he was also a man who craved attention. He was a man who was both loved and hated.
Kushner’sAngels in America remains a timeless masterpiece, a powerful exploration of the human condition. And while the play is set in the 1980s, its themes of sexuality, politics, and the struggle for identity remain relevant today.
References:
- Kushner, T. (2024, October 22). Before Jeremy Strong Played Trump’s Mentor In ‘The Apprentice’, A Epic ‘90s Play Captured Roy Cohn’s “Terrifying Energy”. GQ.
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