3 reasons why Succession tech bro Lukas Matsson is a mix between Elon Musk and Daniel Ek
The last episode of HBO's "Succession" airs Sunday night, and we'll finally find out if Swedish tech billionaire Lukas Matsson wins control of the Roy family's media empire.
Matsson, the millionaire CEO of internet streaming media behemoth GoJo, is played by Alexander Skarsgard as a socially awkward, somewhat malevolent computer bro. Matsson bears numerous parallels with significant personalities in the tech industry, much as the Roy family is modelled on media power players such as the Murdochs.
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Matsson is based on a "amalgamation" of numerous tech figures, according to Skarsgard. However, viewers have pointed out the character's resemblance to two specific bosses: Elon Musk and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, the actor addressed the theories.
"I definitely didn't try to play an Elon Musk character," Skarsgard admitted. "It wouldn't be funny to say, 'I'm playing Elon Musk!'" That was not my intention. There's a lot of Elon Musk around.
"I'm sure some of what I've seen [Elon] do and other tech titans do inspired me, but I didn't go for that type of character."
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Many viewers saw Matsson's Scandinavian heritage as an homage to Daniel Ek, the Swedish entrepreneur who started Spotify. Ek was young when he launched the successful streaming site, and he looks to have far larger goals than Matsson.
1. Matsson also wants to rule the world by taking over a US media giant
Matsson aspires to be the owner of a worldwide media empire.
Prior to his death, the GoJo CEO agreed to buy Logan Roy's media firm, Waystar Royco. Logan's sons Roman and Kendall have been attempting to sabotage the deal in the fourth and final season.
The plot is nearly exactly the opposite of Musk's messy acquisition of Twitter, which he spent months attempting to back out of.
Ek is also interested in the media industry. Spotify invested $200 million in 2020 to acquire "The Ringer," a podcast and media firm created by Bill Simmons.
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Musk has also used Twitter's media clout since taking over the firm. Twitter is a key source of news and is frequently utilised by journalists, but Musk has been pushing in recent months to elevate "citizen journalism" and breaking important news on the network.
This week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his candidature for president on Twitter.
2. Unusual dealings with employees
Matsson has an odd connection with his head of communications, Ebba, which includes sending her frozen blocks of his blood.
He informs Shiv (Sarah Snook), the youngest Roy daughter, that the strange and unwanted correspondence began as a prank after the two divorced. Ebba was "a little weirded out" by his gifts, according to Matsson.
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Before Shiv can advise her, Matsson tells her he'll just deny everything, "call bullshit and just lawyer it out."
Musk has also engaged in unorthodox business practises with at least one of his workers.
Insider reported in August that Musk had twins with an executive at Neuralink, his brain chip firm. Shivon Zilis, the CEO, allegedly informed colleagues that the children were created through IVF and that they were not in a romantic connection.
Meanwhile, Ek has been accused of being callous to his Spotify employees. In a message announcing the layoffs, Ek stated that the modifications will allow him to do his best work while also focusing on Spotify's future. According to leadership experts, the remark might come out as tone-deaf and uncaring.
3. Liberal use of Twitter
Musk is infamous for his heavy use of Twitter.
The billionaire uses the medium to remark on trends and make statements that might occasionally impact Tesla's share price, such as his much-discussed "funding secured" tweet about taking Tesla private in 2018.
Musk has also used Twitter to criticise former colleagues and, at least once, to push false conspiracy theories.
Matsson appears to adopt a similar approach to Twitter.
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Matsson tweets a "very nasty joke" following Kendall Roy's presentation of the Living+ effort in a recent episode of "Succession," expressing his displeasure with the move. The tweet made a Holocaust connection and caused a commotion for Waystar before being removed.
Tech CEOs have a reputation for being socially uncomfortable and out of touch, and "Succession's" Matsson is no different.
Musk, Ek, or just a great mash-up of industry clichés, Matsson's persona does little to dispel the notion that many tech dudes are a little strange, have too much money - and maybe too much power.
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