Brian Cox, best known for his acclaimed role as Logan Roy in HBO’s Succession, has shared his thoughts on working with Steven Seagal in the 1996 action-comedy The Glimmer Man. Despite the film’s critical failure—holding a mere 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—Cox, a seasoned Shakespearean actor, offers a candid and humorous take on his time with Seagal.
Cox’s career spans several decades, with notable roles in films like Manhunter, Braveheart, Troy, and X2, and he has never hesitated to voice his opinions on his colleagues. He has previously criticized Jeremy Strong’s method acting on Succession, expressed discomfort with Daniel Day-Lewis’ approach to The Boxer, and even questioned Gary Oldman’s Oscar win for The Darkest Hour, feeling his own performance in Churchill was superior.
In The Glimmer Man, directed by John Gray, Cox played Mr. Smith, a CIA superior to Seagal’s character, Jack Cole. The film, which also starred Keenen Ivory Wayans, focused on two LAPD detectives investigating a serial killer with ties to Cole’s shadowy past. Cox recently recalling his experience with Seagal on set.
He described Seagal as a “Buddhist with an ulcer,” reflecting on the actor’s enigmatic nature. One particular incident stood out: during a scene, Seagal refused to perform off-camera lines. Rather than causing frustration, Cox found this a relief, humorously adding that Seagal’s absence from the off-camera work allowed for fewer distractions. Cox also noted that while Seagal may have been “very nice” in the past, the pressures of Hollywood can sometimes bring out unconventional behavior.
“I don’t want to damn the guy because everybody’s getting damned these days, but I remember we were doing this scene and we did the close-ups, and then the director said, ‘Steven will not do the offlines with you. Is that OK?’ And I said, ‘Oh, I’m so relieved. That would only be a distraction.’ There’s a great dichotomy in Steven. He’s a Buddhist, but he’s a Buddhist with an ulcer,” Cox remarked.
Cox’s comments offer a glimpse into Seagal’s complex personality—one that combines spiritual beliefs with an occasionally difficult temperament. While Cox recognizes how the pressures of the film industry can lead to unpredictable behavior, his words highlight the ongoing mixed perceptions of Seagal’s work ethic and off-screen persona in Hollywood.
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