Nicholas Braun — the actor behind Succession’s Cousin Greg — is many things: bar owner, crowd-sourced musician, successful wearer of Crocs. But most importantly, he is a thinking man. At the premiere of Succession’s third season, Braun showed us just how deeply he can think, which is very. Not since Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker have we seen a being experience this much thought. Approached by a Variety reporter who asked him whether Cousin Greg is still eating at California Pizza Kitchen, Braun responded with 19 seconds of such profound introspection that she assumed he had given up on the answer entirely.
It began innocently enough with a little update on California Pizza Kitchen’s business dealings. “You know, I think Greg’s not eating at California Pizza Kitchen anymore,” Braun said slowly. “Also, California Pizza Kitchen is closed as a franchise, I’m pretty sure. Or at least a lot of their branches have. So … that’s a tough break for CPK. I think they still make the frozen pizzas, though, so … I’ll get back to you on that.”
That’s the end of his answer, right? Noooo! Braun then attempted to provide a little kicker. He reaffirmed, “Greg is eating differently. I think his budget has grown, so he can afford to eat …” At this point, he trails off, undergoing a dizzying sequence of emotions. First, a scholarly eyebrow furrowing. His gaze drifts upward and to the right, another telltale sign of rigorous thinking. A little smile creeps into one side of his face, only to disappear — Back to the drawing board. He chuckles to himself and shakes his head. The head shaking continues until he looks down with a grin, as if to accept defeat. At this point, the reporter attempts to move on. But no! He’s got it. Just as she begins a new question, he interrupts with the revelation that all this thinking has revealed to him: “Chipotle with extra guac.”
Well, there you have it. After much reflection, Braun decided the best answer was in fact the one right in front of him all along: Chipotle and its pricey mashed avocados. We must respect the process, and by process I mean utterly convincing impression of a man deep in thought. Brava!