It’s been around five years since House of Cards folded, but to this day the show remains one of Netflix’s most talked about productions, albeit for both positive and negative reasons.
Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright joined hands to portray Congressman Francis Underwood and his ambitious wife Claire Underwood in the political drama that was nominated 33 times for Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
The two-time Oscar-winning actor was absolutely brilliant as the amoral politician and Democrat from South Carolina’s 5th congressional district. During the show’s height of popularity, he was perhaps the most popular face on the streaming platform. However, in 2017 – strangely like some of the show’s engrossing twists – things took a sharp turn for everyone involved with House of Cards.
What Was the Reaction on House of Cards Set After Kevin Spacey Scandal
Having already shown his mettle on the big screen with important roles in movies like The Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential, and American Beauty among others, Kevin Spacey was practically leading the streaming revolution – alongside a few other talented actors – during its early days.
In fact, the show about the Underwood couple’s quest to seek revenge on the people who betrayed Frank was the first TV series to have been by a studio for Netflix in 2013. From thereon not only did Frank and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) keep rising to supremacy, but the show also kept adding new loyal fans with every season. But the house of cards fell for Spacey after a series of se*ual misconduct allegations against him came to the fore in 2017.
The fifth season proved to be his final appearance in the series. His sudden exit surprised House of Cards fans and also left a feeling of uncertainty on the show’s set. Recalling the experience, Lars Mikkelsen, who played the character Viktor Petrov, president of the Russian Federation, told The Guardian:
“I got in so late in the last season – there were doubts about whether it was going to happen at all – that everyone had settled by then. People just wanted to finish it off as well as possible. So I didn’t really feel any tension. But of course, it was strange that he wasn’t there. That was weird.”
The sixth and final season of House of Cards returned without Spacey. Wright delivered a strong performance, but the power void created by Frank’s absence within the storyline’s context was too big to ignore for fans.
What Robin Wright Said About Kevin Spacey After He Faced Serious Allegations
In 2018, while addressing her House of Cards co-star allegations of se*ual misconduct, Wright talked about her belief in second chances.
“I don’t know how to comment on that, I really don’t,” Wright said in an interview with Net-a-Porter. “I believe every human being has the ability to reform. Has the ability to reform. In that sense, second chances, or whatever you are going to call it – absolutely, I believe in that. It’s called growth.”
Spacey did get his second chance in a 2022 drama film, titled The Man Who Drew God. The film directed by Franco Nero was the first and remains the only feature film the Oscar-winning actor managed to add to his catalogue since the accusations.
Source: The Guardian, Net-a-Porter
