Who Was Sumner Redstone? The Media Billionaire Who Inspired "Succession"

Redstone's later years, which included declining health and erratic behavior (like suddenly severing ties with one of Paramount's biggest stars, Tom Cruise) led to a plot line straight out of the first season of Succession. The patriarch clashed with his daughter Shari (real-life Shiv?), who served as vice-chairwoman of the board of Viacom and CBS as well as president of National Amusements, when in 2007 he appeared to call into question their original arrangement which would see her leading his empire after his death. They publicly feuded and Redstone even told Forbes, "If she insists on trying to succeed me, there's no question the boards will do what I ask them. They've never gone against my wishes." 

After rejecting a $1 billion buyout offer, Shari appeared to reunite with her father in 2014. She and her son are now slated to take over "two seats on a trustee board that controls the voting interest in the family business that holds the controlling stake in ViacomCBS," according to the Daily Mail.