Joel Kinnaman
Swedish actor (born 1979)
Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman (; born 25 November 1979) is a Swedish-American actor. He first gained recognition for his roles in the 2010 Swedish film "Easy Money" and the "Johan Falk" crime series. Kinnaman is known internationally for his television roles as Detective Stephen Holder in AMC's "The Killing", Takeshi Kovacs in the first season of "Altered Carbon," and Governor Will Conway in the American version of "House of Cards". He has also played Alex Murphy in the 2014 "RoboCop" remake, and Rick Flag in the Warner Bros. film adaptations of the DC Comics anti-hero team "Suicide Squad" (2016), as well as its sequel, "The Suicide Squad" (2021). Since 2019, he has starred as NASA astronaut Ed Baldwin in the Apple TV+ science fiction drama series "For All Mankind".
Early life.
Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. His mother, Bitte (Nordström), a therapist, is a Swedish citizen. His father, Steve Kinnaman (originally David Kinnaman), is an American who was drafted during the Vietnam War and deserted the military from his base in Bangkok. Kinnaman is a dual citizen of Sweden and the United States. His father, whose family was from the American Midwest, is of Irish and Scottish descent; whereas his maternal grandmother is of Ukrainian Jewish descent.
He has five sisters, one of whom is actress Melinda Kinnaman (paternal half-sister). During his childhood, Kinnaman learned two languages as he "spoke English with my dad and Swedish with my mom". He grew up with fellow actors Alexander Skarsgård and Noomi Rapace, and spent a year in Del Valle, Texas, as a high school exchange student. After graduating from high school, he decided to travel around the world. To finance the trips, he worked in various jobs — as a beer factory line worker and roof-sweeper in Norway, and as a bar manager in the French Alps. He then traveled for four to five months at a time over a period of two years in Southeast Asia and South America, the latter with fellow Scandinavian actor David Dencik.
Career.
Kinnaman began his acting career as a child actor in Swedish soap opera "" (1990). His older sister was dating one of the show's directors, and he asked Kinnaman to audition for a part on the show. After portraying Felix Lundström in 22 episodes, he stepped away from acting.
Kinnaman restarted his acting career in 2002. While studying at drama school, Kinnaman featured in several films such as "Hannah med H" and "God Save the King" (Swedish: "Tjenare kungen"). He also worked on productions staged at the Backa Theatre in Gothenburg. He graduated from Malmö Theatre Academy in 2007 and started working at the Gothenburg City Theatre. In the same year, he attracted the attention of Swedish media with the role of Raskolnikov in a stage adaptation of "Crime and Punishment". In 2009, he starred in the film "In Your Veins" (Swedish: "") and played the role of a police informant in six films of the "Johan Falk" film series. He was cast in the film "Easy Money" (released January 2010), which brought him mainstream attention in Sweden and at the international film market, and also earned him a Guldbagge Award in the Best Actor category.
Looking to expand his acting career, Kinnaman hired an agent in the United States. It was announced in the spring of 2010 that he would be making his international film debut in the thriller "The Darkest Hour", which began filming in Moscow in June 2010 and was released in December 2011. Between April 2011 and August 2014, Kinnaman had a four-season starring role as Detective Stephen Holder in the AMC television series "The Killing", based on the Danish television series "Forbrydelsen". Kinnaman was one of the contenders for the lead roles in "Thor" (2011) and "" (2015). Although Kinnaman said that he is eager to work and become recognized in the U.S., he added that "I absolutely don't feel that I have to take any role that I can get just because it is the United States. I'm looking for something interesting, I'm still young in my artistry, and I must dare to do things even when there's a risk for failure".
In 2012, Kinnaman reunited with "Easy Money" director Daniel Espinosa in the latter's Hollywood debut, "Safe House", and also starred in the indie film "Lola Versus". On 3 March 2012, it was confirmed that Kinnaman would play the lead role of Alex James Murphy/RoboCop in the remake of 1987's "RoboCop". The film was released in February 2014. In 2015, he starred in the action thriller "Run All Night" and mystery drama "Child 44".
In 2016, Kinnaman played Rick Flag in the Warner Bros. film adaptation of DC Comics anti-hero team "Suicide Squad", directed by David Ayer. He reprised his role as Rick Flag in its 2021 sequel/soft reboot, "The Suicide Squad", directed by James Gunn. He also starred in the independent drama-thriller film "Edge of Winter", in which he plays Elliot Baker, a father of two who takes his children on a shooting trip that goes wrong. The film was released on demand on 27 July 2016, and in select theaters on 12 August 2016.
Between 2016 and 2019, Kinnaman worked on 4 different original productions of streaming television networks such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Kinnaman played Governor Will Conway in Seasons 4 and 5 of the American version of "House of Cards" on the streaming service Netflix, and the protagonist Takeshi Kovacs in Netflix's "Altered Carbon", an adaption of Richard K. Morgan's hardboiled cyberpunk science fiction novel of the same name. Also in 2019, Kinnaman starred as Erik in the Amazon Prime Video series "Hanna," an adaptation of the 2011 action film of the same name. Since 2019, Kinnaman starred as NASA astronaut Ed Baldwin in the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series "For All Mankind".
In 2019, Kinnaman played Pete Koslow in Andrea Di Stefano's action thriller film "The Informer." In 2020, Kinnaman starred as Thomas Steinman in Yuval Adler's post-war thriller "The Secrets We Keep". Kinnaman also starred in Jérémie Guez's crime drama "Brothers by Blood" which was released in the United States in 2021. In January 2021, it was announced that Kinnaman was cast in Season 4 of the "In Treatment" reboot at HBO. He will star as Adam, the on and off boyfriend of the main character Dr. Brooke Taylor (played by Uzo Aduba). He also reprised his role as Ed Baldwin in Season 2 of "For All Mankind", which aired in 2021.
Between 2022 and 2023, Kinnaman reprised his role as Ed Baldwin in Season 3 of "For All Mankind" and once again for Season 4, airing in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Personal life.
Kinnaman grew up with the condition of pectus excavatum, with a caved-in appearance of the chest. He underwent surgery prior to the filming of "Altered Carbon", inserting two metal bars to push the sternum outward to correct the deformity.
Kinnaman has been a fan of his hometown football club Hammarby IF from an early age.
Due to his constant traveling, Kinnaman's accent is noticeably mixed. While he identifies it as an American accent, he has stated that the "melody" is wrong and has since been working to perfect it.
Kinnaman was married to Swedish tattoo artist Cleo Wattenström from 2015 to 2018. He subsequently began a relationship with Swedish-Australian model Kelly Gale in early 2019. The couple announced their engagement in January 2021. Gale confirmed via Instagram that the couple married in 2024 during the Burning Man Festival.
Legal issues.
On 6 August 2021, Kinnaman filed and was granted a temporary restraining order against Gabriella Magnusson, whom he alleged was threatening him in an attempt to extort him after they had been in a brief romantic relationship in late 2018. Magnusson denied trying to extort Kinnaman. On 11 August 2021, the Swedish Prosecution Authority confirmed that Kinnaman had been accused of rape in an ongoing investigation. The investigation was closed without prosecution in October 2022.
References.
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List of House of Cards (American TV series) characters
"House of Cards" is an American political drama web television series created by Beau Willimon for Netflix. It is an adaptation of the BBC's miniseries of the same name and is based on the 1989 novel by Michael Dobbs. Below is a list consisting of the many characters who have appeared throughout the series' seasons. The only two actors to have main appearances in all six seasons of "House of Cards" are Robin Wright and Michael Kelly.
Cameo appearances.
Real-life media figures who make cameo appearances as themselves include:
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References.
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List of House of Cards episodes
"House of Cards" is an American political drama television series created by Beau Willimon for Netflix. The first season, based on the BBC miniseries of the same name and the series of books by Michael Dobbs, premiered exclusively via Netflix's web streaming service on February 1, 2013.
Kevin Spacey stars as Representative Francis Underwood, the Majority Whip, who, after being passed up for the position of Secretary of State, initiates an elaborate plan to get himself into a position of greater power, aided by his wife, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright). Spacey was not featured in the sixth and final season, as he was fired from the show due to sexual misconduct allegations.
Series overview.
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References.
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House of Cards season 1
Season of the American television drama series House of Cards
The first season of the American television drama series "House of Cards" premiered exclusively via Netflix's web streaming service on February 1, 2013. The season was produced by Media Rights Capital, and the executive producers are David Fincher, Kevin Spacey, Eric Roth, Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs, John Melfi, and Beau Willimon.
"House of Cards" was created for television by Beau Willimon. It is an adaptation of a previous BBC miniseries of the same name by Andrew Davies, which was based on the novel by Michael Dobbs. Set in present-day Washington, D.C., "House of Cards" is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a Democrat from South Carolina's 5th congressional district and the House Majority Whip, who, after getting passed over for appointment as Secretary of State, decides to exact his revenge on those who betrayed him. The series also stars Robin Wright, Kate Mara, and Corey Stoll in lead roles.
The fifth and sixth episodes of this season marked the final directing work of Joel Schumacher.
Episodes.
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Reception.
Critical response.
The first season received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the season received a weighted mean score of 76 out of 100 based on 25 reviews, which translates to "generally positive reception." On Rotten Tomatoes, the season received a score of 87% with an average rating of 8.1 out of 10 based on 47 reviews; the site's consensus reads, "Bolstered by strong performances — especially from Kevin Spacey — and surehanded direction, "House of Cards" is a slick, engrossing drama that may redefine how television is produced." "USA Today" critic Robert Bianco praised the series, particularly Spacey and Wright's lead performances, stating "If you think network executives are nervous, imagine the actors who have to go up against that pair in the Emmys." Tom Gilatto of "People Weekly" lauded the first two episodes, calling them "cinematically rich, full of sleek, oily pools of darkness." In her review for "The Denver Post", Joanne Ostrow said the series is "Deeply cynical about human beings as well as politics and almost gleeful in its portrayal of limitless ambition." She added: ""House of Cards" is a wonderfully sour take on power and corruption."
Awards.
On July 18, 2013, "House of Cards" became the first Primetime Emmy Award nominated series for original online only web television for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Among those nine nominations were Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Kevin Spacey, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Robin Wright, and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for David Fincher. The first season was also nominated for Casting, Cinematography, Editing, Music, and Main Title Music at the 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. On September 15, the series became the first web television series and the first web television webisode to be Primetime Emmy Awarded with two wins at the 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards: Eigil Bryld for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series and Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. On September 22, Netflix made history with a total three wins including Fincher's Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for directing the pilot episode "Chapter 1" in addition to the pair of Creative Arts Emmy Awards, making "Chapter 1" the first Primetime Emmy-awarded webisode. None of the Emmy awards were considered to be in major categories, however.
Spacey received best actor nominations at the 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards, 71st Golden Globe Awards, and 18th Satellite Awards. Wright won best actress at both the 71st Golden Globe Awards and 18th Satellite Awards, while Stoll was nominated at both for supporting actor and the series was nominated at both for best drama. Wright's Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her portrayal of Claire Underwood made her the first actress to win a Golden Globe Award for an online-only web television series. The show won a 2013 Peabody Award for Area of Excellence.
At the 3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards, Kevin Spacey and Corey Stoll were nominated for Best Drama Actor and Best Drama Supporting Actor, respectively. The show has also been nominated at the 29th TCA Awards for the Outstanding New Program and the Program of the Year. The show was also nominated at the 40th People's Choice Awards for Favorite Streaming Series, at the Producers Guild of America Awards 2013 for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama, at the 66th Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series, at the Writers Guild of America Awards 2013 for , and , winning new series.
In addition, the success of "House of Cards" and popularity of "Breaking Bad", both of which are only available in the United Kingdom online has caused a rule change for the British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards beginning with the ceremonies for the 2013 calendar year on May 18, 2014, and April 27, 2014, respectively. At the 2014 British Academy Television Awards the show was nominated for Best International Programme.
Home media.
The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on June 11, 2013, in region 2 on June 10, 2013, and in region 4 on June 27, 2013.
Director's commentaries for all of the first-season episodes premiered on Netflix on January 3, 2014. They had not been included on the home video release.
References.
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House of Cards season 5
Season of the American television drama series House of Cards
The fifth season of "House of Cards", an American political drama television series created by Beau Willimon for Netflix, was released on May 30, 2017. Frank Pugliese and Melissa James Gibson took over as showrunners in place of Willimon, who departed the series. The fifth season follows Frank and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) and their attempt to win the 2016 presidential election against Republican Party nominee Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman). The Underwoods are also faced with mounting insubordination from staff and congressional colleagues as the threat of impeachment looms.
Following a series of sexual misconduct allegations made against Kevin Spacey in October 2017, Netflix fired the actor, making the fifth season his final appearance in the series. It consists of 13 episodes and was followed up by a final sixth season released in 2018.
Production.
Casting began for the season on June 17, 2016. Filming had begun by July 20, 2016, and finished by February 14, 2017.
On January 28, 2016, Netflix renewed "House of Cards" for a fifth season. It was also announced that series creator Beau Willimon would step down as showrunner following the fourth season. It was announced in February 2016 that Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese, who both joined the show in the third season, would serve as co-showrunners for the fifth season. In October 2016, it was announced that Patricia Clarkson and Campbell Scott had been cast for the fifth season. The first trailer for the season was released on May 1, 2017. The season was released on May 30, 2017.
Episodes.
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Reception.
Critical response.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 72% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The consensus reads, ""House of Cards" enjoys a confident return to form this season, though its outlandish edge is tempered slightly by the current political climate." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Accolades.
"House of Cards" received four major nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Kevin Spacey for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Robin Wright for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Michael Kelly for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Controversy.
Following the fifth season's release during early production of the sixth season in October 2017, sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey surfaced. Netflix briefly halted production and made the decision in November 2017 to part ways with the actor, marking the fifth season as his final appearance in the series.
References.
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William A. Conway (actor)
English actor
William Augustus Conway (1789–1828) was an English actor.
Biography.
Conway was educated for the bar, but appeared on the stage at the Haymarket Theatre, in London, terminated a three years' engagement in 1816, starred till 1821, and went to the United States in 1823. He appeared as Hamlet and in other tragic roles in New York City and Philadelphia, visited the western and southern cities, took passage early in 1828 for Savannah, Georgia, and threw himself into the sea off Charleston Bar while on the voyage.
Conway won the affections of Hester Piozzi, whose letters to him were published in 1843. As Coriolanus he was considered to have been excelled by John Philip Kemble alone. His son, Frederick B. Conway, was also an actor.
References.
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Nick Conway
English actor (born 1962)
Nick Conway (born Nicholas Campbell on 25 December 1962) is an English actor. He played Billy Boswell in Carla Lane's BBC comedy series "Bread". He has also appeared in "Starting Out", "Thank You Mrs Clinkscales", "When Saturday Comes", "Coronation Street", "Keep On Running Mr. Salter" and "Juliet Bravo".
He has featured in many theatre productions and currently runs a theatre school. He is also a DJ and teacher. In November 2010 he appeared on "Coronation Street".
References.
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House of Cards (American TV series)
American political thriller television series (2013–2018)
House of Cards is an American political thriller television series created by Beau Willimon. It is based on the 1989 novel of the same title by Michael Dobbs and an adaptation of the 1990 British series of the same name by Andrew Davies, also from the novel. The first 13-episode season was released on February 1, 2013, on the streaming service Netflix. "House of Cards" is the first TV series to have been produced by a studio for Netflix.
"House of Cards" is set in Washington, D.C., and is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), an amoral politician and Democrat from South Carolina's 5th congressional district and his equally ambitious wife Claire Underwood (Robin Wright). Frank is passed over for appointment as Secretary of State but remains House Majority Whip so he initiates an elaborate plan to attain power, aided by Claire. The series deals with themes of ruthless pragmatism, manipulation, betrayal, and power.
"House of Cards" received highly positive reviews and numerous award nominations, including 33 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, among them Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor for Spacey, and Outstanding Lead Actress for Wright. It is the first original online-only streaming television series to receive major Emmy nominations. The show also earned eight Golden Globe Award nominations, with Wright winning for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2014 and Spacey winning for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 2015.
In 2017, following allegations of sexual misconduct against Spacey, Netflix terminated their relationship with Spacey. The sixth and final season was produced and released in 2018 without his involvement.
Plot.
Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a South Carolina congressman who is also one of the top Democrats in congress, is incensed when the newly elected President Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) reneges on his promise to make Frank the secretary of state in the new administration. With the help of his equally-conniving wife Claire (Robin Wright) and devoted chief of staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), Frank attempts to influence all affairs surrounding the Walker administration. He also initiates a sexual relationship with reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), who Frank uses to manipulate the headlines and Zoe uses to obtain juicy stories. Frank shepherds an education bill through congress in an attempt to appear indispensable in the eyes of Walker. After the bill is passed, he masterminds a gubernatorial campaign in Pennsylvania with embattled congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) as the candidate. The campaign implodes when Russo, an alcoholic, relapses and delivers a drunken interview. When Russo decides to come clean about his role in Underwood's schemes, Frank kills Russo and stages his death as a suicide. Firmly ingrained in Walker's inner-circle, Frank suggests that dissatisfied Vice President Jim Matthews (Dan Ziskie), the former governor, return to his role in Pennsylvania. Although ultimately hesitant, Walker and Matthews agree. Frank is hopeful that Walker will select him as vice president, but Walker wants Underwood to vet billionaire Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney). In actuality, Tusk is enlisted to vet Frank and will only offer his recommendation to Walker if Frank agrees to influence affairs as vice president. Frank agrees to consider his proposals but makes no promises; Underwood is subsequently selected to become vice president.
Meanwhile, Zoe becomes suspicious regarding Frank's involvement in Russo's failed campaign. After confiding that Russo's death may have been a murder, Frank pushes Zoe in front of a subway train and she is killed instantly. The news devastates her colleagues, including Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus) and Tom Hammerschmidt (Boris McGiver). Meanwhile, Underwood becomes vice president and sets to diminish Tusk's influence over the president. In the midst of an energy crisis, Underwood proposes an aggressive trade policy with China. Tusk, who has significant business connections with the Chinese, is unwilling to cooperate with Walker and Underwood's policies and is shunned from the White House. Meanwhile, Republican candidates see a surge in campaign donations before the 2014 midterms. In actuality, this is the result of a money laundering operation out of a Missouri casino, with Tusk funneling Chinese money to Republican candidates. Frank is able to get the Chinese to stop the flow of money by having Walker agree to the building of a bridge in the U.S. He also seeks to neutralize Tusk by leaking the existence of the money laundering operation. The proximity to the White House creates an avalanche of controversy and solicitor general Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel) is assigned to investigate the administration's involvement. Walker finally realizes that Frank has implicated him in these dealings and alienates him from the White House. Tusk is issued a subpoena and ultimately lies that Walker had full knowledge of the money laundering operation, sensing that it would be more advantageous to him to align himself with Frank rather than Walker. With the House set to vote on Articles of Impeachment, Walker resigns and Underwood is sworn in as president.
Several months into his presidency, Frank appoints congressman Donald Blythe (Reed Birney) to be his vice president and jumpstarts an ambitious jobs program called America Works. Claire, dissatisfied with the position of first lady, wants a more substantive role and sets her eyes on the United Nations ambassador. Although her confirmation is rejected, Frank appoints her during a congressional recess session. The administration develops a Middle East peace plan that faces substantial opposition from Russian president Viktor Petrov (Lars Mikkelsen). The Underwoods visit Moscow and tensions flare when Claire publicly shames Petrov for his dictatorial stance on LGBT rights. When the Jordan Valley is thrust into chaos, Petrov insists that he will only remove his troops from the region if Claire resigns as ambassador. This further deepens the divide between the Underwoods, who have been estranged since the Moscow summit. Frank jumpstarts his campaign for the 2016 presidential election and must fight for the nomination against Heather Dunbar. Claire proves to be popular on the campaign trail but begins exhibiting unusual behavior as a result of her growing dissatisfaction. After confiding in Frank that she doesn't feel as if they are equals, Frank chastises her for not doing her job as first lady. The following morning, Claire tells Frank that she's leaving him.
Frank narrowly wins the Iowa caucus and departs to New Hampshire to campaign. Claire, meanwhile, heads to Texas and devises a plan with her new adviser LeAnn Harvey (Neve Campbell) to run for a congressional seat. At the State of the Union, Frank endorses Claire's opponent and kills any chances she may have in the race. In retaliation, Claire sabotages Frank's South Carolina campaign and he loses the primary to Dunbar. Claire proposes that she and Frank become a united front and he select her as his running mate; Frank is aghast at the proposal. While Claire threatens to go public with her intention for a divorce, Frank is shot at a campaign event by Lucas Goodwin. He is admitted to the hospital in critical condition and requires a liver transplant to survive. Vice President Blythe becomes acting president and relies heavily on Claire regarding an energy crisis with Russia. After Doug manipulates the organ donor list to put the president at the top, Frank recovers from surgery and whole-heartedly endorses Claire's plan to make her his running mate. Heather Dunbar drops out shortly after due to her connections to Goodwin. Tom Hammerschmidt, the former "Washington Herald" editor in chief, begins writing an article regarding Underwood's corruption and interviews several of Frank's former colleagues, including former president Walker. At the Democratic National Convention, Frank and Claire are nominated as the party's nominees for president and vice president respectively. They face off in the general election against charismatic Republican candidate Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman).
With weeks until the election, followers of the terror group ICO abduct a family in the U.S. and hold them hostage. Although Frank negotiates the release of two of the hostages, one of them is killed. Hammerschmidt uses the hostage situation to publish his article slamming Underwood as a corrupt president. With their chances at re-election almost totally diminished, the Underwoods pivot to using fear to influence voters. Frank demands that congress declare war on ICO and the Underwoods begin using questionable intelligence to justify enacting martial law in key areas before the election. On election day, it appears that Conway will most likely win. After an incident at a polling station in Tennessee, the Underwoods are able to get several states to suspend polling due to terror threats. Neither Conway nor Underwood receive a majority of electoral votes due to states abstaining from certifying their votes, giving the election to congress to decide. As January 20th approaches, the congressional election is inconclusive and vice president-elect Claire Underwood becomes acting president. The Underwoods are able to negotiate a set of new elections in the states that couldn't certify their votes; in these elections, the Underwoods prevail and Frank is sworn in as president almost a month after Inauguration Day. After snubbing him in his inaugural address, Congressman Alex Romero (James Martinez) uses his congressional committee to investigate the Underwood administration. Frank's misdeeds are slowly leaked in the press to Hammerschmidt. With growing talks regarding impeachment, Frank announces that he will resign.
Upon Frank's resignation, Claire is sworn in as president. She feels blindsided by his decision but he reveals that he orchestrated his downfall because the real power rests with the titans who own the politicians, and that the Underwoods can achieve true power with him in the private sector and her as president. Although she appears accepting of this partnership, she refuses to pardon him for his crimes and ultimately blacklists him from the White House. Months later, Frank is found dead of an apparent overdose of his liver medication. Doug still idolizes his former boss and tries to lobby Claire into issuing a posthumous pardon, an idea Claire is resistant to. Meanwhile, as president Claire is able to withstand several threats to her power from private industry magnates Bill and Annette Shepherd (Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane), including a failed try at the 25th amendment and an attempted assassination. However, Doug believes that Frank left him everything in his will. Claire informs him that whatever Frank left him belongs to his heir, and that she has artificially inseminated herself using Frank's sperm. Months later, a heavily pregnant Claire is widely popular with the American people. Doug learns that Frank changed his will last-minute and left Doug, among other things, an audio diary that implicates Claire in all of his misdeeds. Doug starts leaking excerpts, and Claire in retaliation floats the idea of a posthumous indictment for Frank. They agree to meet in the Oval Office to discuss a truce, but during a heated argument, Doug confesses to Frank's murder. Frank was intending to murder Claire and Doug killed him to protect his legacy. Doug becomes manic and attempts to stab Claire with a letter opener. Although he refrains from killing her, she stabs, suffocates, and cradles him as he dies.
Production.
Conception.
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The world of 7:30 on Tuesday nights, that's dead. A stake has been driven through its heart, its head has been cut off, and its mouth has been stuffed with garlic. The captive audience is gone. If you give people this opportunity to mainline all in one day, there's reason to believe they will do it.
— David Fincher
The series played a role as one of the earliest shows to launch in the "streaming era". Independent studio Media Rights Capital (MRC), founded by Mordecai Wiczyk and Asif Satchu, producer of films such as "Babel", purchased the rights to "House of Cards" with the intention to create a series. While finishing production on his 2008 film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", David Fincher's agent showed him "House of Cards", a BBC series starring Ian Richardson. Fincher was interested in producing a potential series with Eric Roth. Fincher said that he was interested in doing television because of its long-form nature, adding that working in film does not allow for complex characterizations the way that television allows. "I felt for the past ten years that the best writing that was happening for actors was happening in television. And so I had been looking to do something that was longer form," Fincher stated.
MRC approached different networks about the series, including HBO, Showtime and AMC, but Netflix, hoping to launch its own original programming, outbid the other networks. Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, looked at the data of Netflix users' streaming habits and concluded that there was an audience for Fincher and Spacey. "It looked incredibly promising," he said, "kind of the perfect storm of material and talent". In finding a writer to adapt the series, Fincher stated that they needed someone who could faithfully translate parliamentary politics to Washington." Beau Willimon, who has served as an aide to Chuck Schumer, Howard Dean and Hillary Clinton, was hired and completed the pilot script in early 2011. Willimon saw the opportunity to create an entirely new series from the original and deepen its overall story.
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This is the future, streaming is the future. TV will not be TV in five years from now ... everyone will be streaming.
 — Beau Willimon
The project was first announced in March 2011, with Kevin Spacey attached to star and serve as an executive producer. Fincher was announced as director for the first two episodes, from scripts by Willimon. Netflix ordered 26 episodes to air over two seasons.
Spacey called Netflix's model of publishing all episodes at once a "new perspective". He added that Netflix's commitment to two full seasons gave the series greater continuity. "We know exactly where we are going," he said. In a speech at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, he also noted that while other networks were interested in the show, they all wanted a pilot, whereas Netflix—relying solely on their statistics—ordered the series directly. In January 2016, show creator, executive producer and showrunner Beau Willimon's departure following season 4 was announced. He was replaced by Frank Pugliese and Melissa James Gibson, both of whom had begun writing for the series in season 3.
Casting.
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I was lucky to get into film at a time that was very interesting for drama. But if you look now, the focus is not on the same kind of films that were made in the 90s. When I look now, the most interesting plots, the most interesting characters, they are on TV.
 — Kevin Spacey
Fincher stated that every main cast member was their first choice. In the first read through, he said "I want everybody here to know that you represent our first choice—each actor here represents our first choice for these characters. So do not fuck this up." Spacey, whose last regular television role was in the series "Wiseguy", which ran from 1987 until 1990, responded positively to the script. He then played Richard III at The Old Vic, which Fincher said was "great training". Spacey supported the decision to release all of the episodes at once, believing that this type of release pattern will be increasingly common with television shows. He said, "When I ask my friends what they did with their weekend, they say, 'Oh, I stayed in and watched three seasons of "Breaking Bad" or it's two seasons of "Game of Thrones"." He was officially cast on March 18, 2011. Robin Wright was approached by Fincher to star in the series when they worked together in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". She was cast as Claire Underwood in June 2011. Kate Mara was cast as Zoe Barnes in early February 2012. Mara's sister, Rooney, worked with Fincher in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", and when Kate Mara read the part of Zoe, she "fell in love with the character" and asked her sister to "put in a word for me with Fincher." The next month, she got a call for an audition.
Filming.
Locations.
Principal photography for the first season began in January 2012 in Harford County, Maryland, on the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Filming of exterior scenes in 2013 centered primarily in and around the city of Baltimore, Maryland, which is about northeast of Washington, D.C.
Among the numerous exteriors filmed in Baltimore, but set in Washington, D.C., are: Francis and Claire Underwood's residence, Zoe Barnes' apartment, Freddy's BBQ Rib Joint, The Clean Water Initiative building where Claire works, "The Washington Herald" offices, the Washington Opera House, the Secretary of State's building, Hotel Cotesworth, The Georgetown Hotel, Werner's Bar, Tio Pepe's, the DuPont Circle Bar, as well as scenes set in other locations, including Peter Russo's campaign rally in Pennsylvania and The Sentinel (military academy)'s Francis J. Underwood Library and Waldron Hall in South Carolina.
Most of the interior scenes in "House of Cards" are filmed in a large industrial warehouse, which is located in Joppa, Maryland, also in Harford County, which is about northeast of Baltimore. The warehouse is used for the filming of some of the most iconic scenes of the series, such as the full-scale reconstruction of most of the West Wing of the White House, including the Oval Office, the Congressional offices and corridors, the large 'Slugline' open-plan office interior, and domestic interiors such as the large townhouse rooms of the Underwood residence and a large loft apartment. Extensive filming for season 5 was also done at the Maryland Historical Society in Mount Vernon, Baltimore.
The series uses green screen to augment the live action, inserting views of outdoor scenes in windows and broadcast images on TV monitors, often in post-production. The Production Designer, Steve Arnold, also describes in detail the use of a three-sided green screen to insert street scenes outside car windows, with synchronized LED screens above the car (and out of camera shot), that emit the appropriate light onto the actors and parts of the car, such as window frames: "All the driving in the show, anything inside the vehicle is done on stage, in a room that is a big three-sided green screen space. The car does not move, the actors are in the car, and the cameras are set up around them. We have very long strips of LED monitors hung above the car. We had a camera crew go to Washington, D.C., to drive around and shoot plates for what you see outside when you're driving. And that is fed into the LED screens above the car. So as the scene is progressing, the LED screens are synched up to emit interactive light to match the light conditions you see in the scenery you're driving past (that will be added in post). All the reflections on the car windows, the window frames and door jambs is being shot while we're shooting the actors in the car. Then in post the green screens are replaced with the synced up driving plates, and it works really well. It gives you the sense of light passing over the actors' faces, matching the lighting that is in the image of the plate".
In June 2014, filming of three episodes in the UN Security Council chamber was vetoed by Russia at the last minute. However the show was able to film in other parts of the UN Building. In August 2014, the show filmed a "mock-motorcade scene" in Washington, D.C. In December 2014, the show filmed in Española, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Tax credits.
According to the Maryland Film Office, the state provided millions in tax credits to subsidize the production costs.
Final season and firing of Spacey.
On October 11, 2017, "The Baltimore Sun" reported that "House of Cards" had been renewed for a sixth season and that filming would begin by the end of October 2017. On October 29, actor Anthony Rapp publicly stated that lead actor Spacey had made a sexual advance on him at a 1986 party when Rapp was 14. The following day, Netflix announced that the upcoming sixth season of "House of Cards" would be its last. Multiple sources stated that the decision to end the series was made prior to Rapp's accusation, but the announcement nevertheless caused suspicions for its timing. The following day, it was announced that production on the season would be temporarily suspended, according to an official joint statement from Netflix and MRC, "to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew". On November 3, 2017, Netflix announced that they would no longer be associated with Spacey in any capacity whatsoever. On December 4, 2017, Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, announced that production would restart in 2018 with Robin Wright in the lead, and revealed that the final season of the show would now consist of eight episodes. Spacey was removed from the cast and as executive producer with several unannounced projects involving the actor being canceled, resulting in Netflix losing 39 million dollars. In 2019, the last related criminal charges remaining against him were dropped.
On December 24, 2018, Spacey posted an unofficial short film titled "Let Me Be Frank" to his YouTube channel, in which, in-character as Francis "Frank" Underwood, he denied the allegations and stated that his character was not in fact dead. The video has been described in the media as "bizarre", "extraordinarily odd", "unsettling", and "alarming"; several actors—including Patricia Arquette, Ellen Barkin, and Rob Lowe—have criticized and ridiculed it on Twitter. As of September 2020, the video has over 12 million views, with 277,000 likes and 74,000 dislikes. Spacey posted a follow-up short film to "Let Me Be Frank", titled "KTWK" (Kill Them with Kindness), to his YouTube channel on December 24, 2019. On Christmas Eve 2020, Spacey uploaded a third video, "1-800 XMAS", where he briefly addresses the audience as Frank before breaking character to address mental health issues coming from the COVID-19 pandemic, ending with a caption listing the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. After a three-year hiatus, Spacey released a fourth video, "Being Frank with Tucker" on Christmas Eve 2023 featuring conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson, presented as an episode of "The Tucker Carlson Interview", where he addressed his exit from Netflix, media coverage, and the 2024 United States presidential election, as well as teasing a run for the presidency and breaking the fourth wall to privately address the audience as in the series.
On November 22, 2021, it was later reported that MRC sued Spacey for breaching his contract after losing millions from the reshooting the show's final season and was ordered to pay 31 million dollars in retribution. His lawyers later attempted to toss out the charge on January 25, 2022, by denying their accusations, but lost the court battle later that August after failing to convince the judge.
Release.
Broadcast.
In Australia, where Netflix was not available prior to 2015, the series was broadcast on Showcase, premiering on May 7, 2013. Australian subscription TV provider Foxtel, and owner of Showcase, offered the entire first season to Showcase subscribers via their On Demand feature on Foxtel set-top boxes connected to the internet, as well as through their Xbox 360, Internet TV, and mobile (Foxtel Go) services. Although the entire season was made available, it maintained its weekly timeslot on Showcase. Season two returned to Showcase on February 15, 2014. As with season one, the entire season was made available on demand to Showcase subscribers while also retaining a weekly timeslot. The series has also been made available to non-Foxtel subscribers through Apple's Apple TV service. Prior to Netflix's Australian launch on March 28, 2015, Netflix renounced Showcase's rights to "House of Cards", with season 3 premiering on Netflix at launch.
In New Zealand, where Netflix was unavailable prior to 2015, season 1 premiered on TV3 in early 2014, followed immediately by season 2. Netflix launched in New Zealand on March 24, 2015, and unlike Australia (which had Netflix launch on the same day) where "House of Cards" season 3 was available at launch, the series was initially unavailable.
In India, where Netflix was unavailable prior to January 2016, "House of Cards" premiered on February 20, 2014, on Zee Café. Seasons 1 and 2 were aired back-to-back. The channel aired all 13 episodes of season 3 on March 28 and 29, 2015. This marked the first time that an English-language general entertainment channel in India aired all episodes of the latest season of a series together. The move was intended to satisfy viewers' urge to binge-watch the season. Although Netflix launched in India in January 2016, "House of Cards" was not available on the service until March 4. All episodes of season 4 had their television premiere on Zee Café on March 12 and 13, 2016.
"House of Cards" was acquired by Canadian superstation CHCH for broadcast beginning September 13, 2017, making the program available throughout Canada on cable and free-to-air in CHCH's broadcast region, which includes portions of the United States. However, the show was removed from the CHCH primetime schedule two months later, following the sexual assault allegations towards Kevin Spacey.
"House of Cards" began airing in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2018, on Virgin TV Ultra HD, a newly established UHD/4K entertainment channel.
Home media.
Season 1 was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in region 1 on June 11, 2013, season 2 was released on June 17, 2014, season 3 was released on July 7, 2015, season 4 was released on July 5, 2016, season 5 was released on October 3, 2017, and season 6 was released on March 5, 2019.
Reception.
Critical response.
Season 1.
The first season received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a rating of 87%, based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The site's consensus reads, "Bolstered by strong performances—especially from Kevin Spacey—and surehanded direction, "House of Cards" is a slick, engrossing drama that may redefine how television is produced." On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 76 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
"USA Today" critic Robert Bianco praised the series, particularly Spacey's and Wright's lead performances, stating "If you think network executives are nervous, imagine the actors who have to go up against that pair in the Emmys." Tom Gilatto of "People Weekly" lauded the first two episodes, calling them "cinematically rich, full of sleek, oily pools of darkness". In "The Denver Post", critic Joanne Ostrow said the series is "[d]eeply cynical about human beings as well as politics and almost gleeful in its portrayal of limitless ambition". She added: ""House of Cards" is a wonderfully sour take on power and corruption."
Writing in "The New York Times", critic Alessandra Stanley noted that the writing in the series sometimes fails to match the high quality of its acting: "Unfortunately Mr. Spacey's lines don't always live up to the subtle power of his performance; the writing isn't Shakespeare, or even Aaron Sorkin, and at times, it turns strangely trite." Nevertheless, she lauded "House of Cards" as an entertainment that "revels in the familiar but always entertaining underbelly of government". Andrew Davies, the writer of the original British TV series, stated that Spacey's character lacks the "charm" of Ian Richardson's, while "The Independent" praised Spacey's portrayal as a more "menacing" character, "hiding his rage behind Southern charm and old-fashioned courtesy." Randy Shaw, writing for "The Huffington Post", criticized "House of Cards" for glorifying "union bashing and entitlement slashing within a political landscape whose absence of activist groups or anyone remotely progressive resembles a Republican fantasy world". Critics such as "Time" television critic James Poniewozik and Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post" compare the series to "Boss". Like the British show and novel of the same name, many critics have noted that it is heavily influenced by both "Macbeth" and "Richard III". In addition, some critics find elements of "Othello", such as Iago's bitter ire.
Season 2.
The second season received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the season has a rating of 83%, based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""House of Cards" proves just as bingeworthy in its second season, with more of the strong performances, writing, and visual design that made the first season so addictive." On Metacritic the season has a score of 80 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
As the season progressed, reviews became more mixed. Jen Chaney of "Vulture" wrote that the second season "felt kind of empty" and that "the closest it came to feeling emotionally rich was when it focused on Claire". At the end of the second season, Alan Sepinwall of "HitFix" wrote that the show is a "ridiculous political potboiler that takes itself too seriously"; he gave the overall season a C−.
Season 3.
The third season received mostly positive reviews, although many critics noted it felt repetitive. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 73%, based on 56 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's consensus reads, "Season three introduces intriguing new political and personal elements to Frank Underwood's character, even if it feels like more of the same for some." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 76 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Negative reviews came from "The Daily Beast"'s Nick Gillespie, who accused the writers of "descending into prosaic moralism" in season 3 and asserted that it deviates from the show's original intent, and Michael Wolff of "USA Today" plainly asserts that "the third season of "House of Cards" is no good ... not just no good, but incompetent, a shambles, lost". "IndieWire" named the season one of the most disappointing shows of 2015.
Season 4.
The fourth season received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 86%, based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""House of Cards" retains its binge-worthiness by ratcheting up the drama, and deepening Robin Wright's role even further." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 76 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Ben Travers of "IndieWire" had a positive response to season four, calling it an upgrade from what he perceived as a "messy and unsatisfying melodramatic" third season, writing that ""House of Cards" is aiming at authenticity, and—for what feels like the first time—consistently finding it."
Emily Van DerWerff of "Vox" had a mixed review to season four, criticizing the repetitive and predictable nature of the series, writing: "There's no such mystery with "House of Cards", where you know exactly what will happen as surely as you do on "NCIS". Obstacles will present themselves, but Frank (the hammy Kevin Spacey) and Claire (the almost perfect Robin Wright) Underwood will overcome. What you see is what you get."
The choice to have Frank and Claire run as running mates was highly criticized by some reviewers. Jonathan Holmes of "Radio Times" wrote that "there are limits to the stupidity viewers are willing to accept, and with season four ["House of Cards"] may have stepped over the line. Claire demanding her selection as Frank's running mate is stupid. Moronic. It turns a canny political operator into a ham-brained fish-eyed jar-opener." Spencer Kornhaber of "The Atlantic" wrote that "in moments like this it's good to remember that "Cards" really, fundamentally is a stupid TV show instead of a particularly cunning comment on political reality."
Season 5.
The fifth season received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 72% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, ""House of Cards" enjoys a confident return to form this season, though its outlandish edge is tempered slightly by the current political climate." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 60 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
After the fifth season received a Best Drama Series nomination at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, Brian Grubb of "Uproxx" wrote:
"House of Cards" has not been very good for multiple seasons now, if it was ever that good. I can understand the original excitement about it. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright were on television. And not even "television", really. They were on a big budget series that was made for and by a streaming service. David Fincher was involved and even directed a few episodes. This was a borderline revolutionary development. ... I don't see how anyone who watched it can think it deserves a place in the best six or seven dramas on television.
Season 6.
The sixth season received mixed reviews from critics, with many expressing disappointment over Kevin Spacey's absence. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 65% based on 68 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, ""House of Cards" folds slightly under the weight of its labyrinthian ending—thankfully Robin Wright's commanding performance is strong enough to keep it standing strong." On Metacritic, the season has a score of 62 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In the U.S., the average season 6 viewership dropped from 1.9 million to 1.5 for the first week compared to the previous season.
The last season has also received negative reviews, including those related to the absence of Kevin Spacey.
Accolades.
For its first season, "House of Cards" received nine nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2013, to become the first original online-only streaming television series to receive major nominations. Among "House of Cards'" nine nominations, "Chapter 1" received four nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards and 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards becoming the first webisode (online-only episode) of a television series to receive a major Primetime Emmy Award nomination: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for David Fincher. This episode also received several Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, and Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic). Although Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is not a category that formally recognizes an episode, Spacey submitted "Chapter 1" for consideration to earn his nomination. At the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award presentation, "Chapter 1" and Eigil Bryld earned the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series, making "Chapter 1" the first Emmy-awarded webisode. At the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, Fincher won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for directing the pilot episode "Chapter 1" in addition to the pair of Creative Arts Emmy Awards, making "Chapter 1" the first Primetime Emmy-awarded webisode. None of the Emmy awards were considered to be in major categories.
For the 71st Golden Globe Awards, "House of Cards" received four nominations. Among those nominations was Wright for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her portrayal of Claire Underwood, which she won. In so doing she became the first actress to win a Golden Globe Award for an online-only streaming television series.
For its second season, "House of Cards" received 13 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, Kevin Spacey for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Robin Wright for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Kate Mara for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, and Reg E. Cathey for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. At the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, the series was nominated for Best Drama Series and Wright was nominated for Best Drama Actress, while Spacey won for Best Drama Actor.
References.
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Derek Cecil
American actor
Derek Cecil (born January 5, 1973) is an American actor. He played the role of Seth Grayson on the Netflix series "House of Cards", starred in the short-lived series "Push, Nevada" and "The Beat", and made several appearances in the series "Pasadena" and "Banshee".
He is also in the Showtime series "Black Monday" as Detective Lester.
Early life.
Cecil was born in Amarillo, Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston and the American Conservatory Theater. He graduated from William H. Taft High School in San Antonio, Texas.
References.
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House of Cards season 4
Season of the American television drama series House of Cards
The fourth season of the American television drama series "House of Cards" was announced by Netflix via Twitter on April 2, 2015. Filming began on June 16, 2015. The season premiered on March 4, 2016.
Production.
On April 2, 2015, Netflix announced via its Twitter account that it had renewed "House of Cards" for a fourth season of undisclosed length, to be released in early 2016. The tweet read: "I will leave a legacy. #Underwood2016". The first casting calls were announced on May 5, 2015, to occur on May 15. Film crews were spotted filming on June 16, 2015.
In December 2015, it was revealed during a 2016 Republican Party presidential debate through faux advertising that the season would premiere on March 4, 2016. In January, show creator, executive producer and showrunner Beau Willimon's departure following the season was announced. The first trailer for the season, which focused on the contentious relationship between the Underwoods, was released on February 10. The press release associated with the trailer said "In an election year, the stakes are now higher than ever, and the biggest threat they face is contending with each other."
Cast.
On July 1, 2015, Neve Campbell was announced as having been cast for season 4. In September 2015, Colm Feore was announced as having a recurring role. In February 2016, Joel Kinnaman was announced as having a recurring role. On February 10, Ellen Burstyn and Cicely Tyson were announced as cast members in conjunction with the release of the first trailer for the season.
Episodes.
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Reception.
Critical response.
The fourth season has received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the season has a score of 76 out of 100 based on 17 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an 86% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.7/10 based on 36 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, ""House of Cards" retains its binge-worthiness by ratcheting up the drama, and deepening Robin Wright's role even further." Matt Fowler of IGN gave the season a rating of 8.6 out of 10 and labelled the season "great" with particular praise given to the performances, the addition of new characters, connections to previous seasons and adding new adversaries to the Underwoods.
Accolades.
"House of Cards" received 13 nominations in the drama categories for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Kevin Spacey for Outstanding Lead Actor, Robin Wright for Outstanding Lead Actress, Michael Kelly for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Reg E. Cathey, Paul Sparks and Mahershala Ali for Outstanding Guest Actor, and Ellen Burstyn and Molly Parker for Outstanding Guest Actress.
References.
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List of awards and nominations received by House of Cards
"House of Cards" is an American political drama web television series created by Beau Willimon. It is an adaptation of the BBC's mini-series of the same name and is based on the novel by Michael Dobbs. All seasons have premiered on the streaming service Netflix.
In 2013, "House of Cards" became the first original online-only web television series to receive major nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards. The first episode, "Chapter 1", received four nominations becoming the first webisode (online-only episode) of a television series to receive a major Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Eigil Bryld won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series and David Fincher won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the episode "Chapter 1", making it the first Emmy-awarded webisode. The series was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series five times. The first two seasons of "House of Cards" were nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama.
For her work in "House of Cards", Robin Wright won a Golden Globe and Satellite Award. She was Netflix's first awarded person in major acting categories. Wright's Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her portrayal of Claire Underwood made her the first actress to win a Golden Globe Award for an online-only web television series. She also earned an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination at the 65th, 66th, 67th, 68th, 69th, and 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. In the role of Frank Underwood and as producer of "House of Cards", Kevin Spacey was nominated for Golden Globes at the 2014 and 2015 ceremonies. In 2015, Spacey won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series five times. Later that year, Spacey won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series.
References.
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Michael Kelly (actor)
American actor
Michael Kelly (born May 22, 1969) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Doug Stamper in the Netflix drama series "House of Cards". He also appeared as CIA Agent Mike November in the Prime Video thriller series "Jack Ryan".
Early life and education.
Kelly was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia, the son of Maureen and Michael Kelly. His father is of Irish descent, and his mother is of Italian ancestry. Kelly graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 1992 with a degree in performing arts.
Career.
In addition to playing Doug Stamper in all six seasons of "House of Cards", Kelly has appeared in films such as "Changeling", "Dawn of the Dead", "The Adjustment Bureau", "Chronicle", "Now You See Me", and "Everest". He also appeared in the television miniseries "Generation Kill", six episodes of "The Sopranos" as Agent Ron Goddard, the "Criminal Minds" spin-off series "", and as Dr. Edgar Dumbarton in "Taboo".
Personal life.
Kelly resides in New York City. He and his wife Karyn married in 2005, and they have two children.
In 2017, in the 2017 Alabama Special Senate Election he endorsed Democratic nominee Doug Jones.
References.
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House of Cards season 2
Season of the American television drama series House of Cards
The second season of the American television drama series "House of Cards" began filming a set of 13 episodes on April 29, 2013, and concluded on November 8. Filming occurred primarily in Baltimore. On December 4, 2013, Netflix announced that the season would be released in its entirety on February 14, 2014. Set in Washington, D.C., season two deals with topics such as entitlement reform, state-sponsored cyberespionage, money laundering in campaign finance, anthrax scares, sexual assault in the United States military, public opinion regarding abortion in the United States, parliamentary procedure of the United States Senate, and Federal government shutdowns. The plot picks back up where season one ends.
Critics previewed the first four episodes of the season under non-disclosure agreements not to reveal any spoilers. Reviews began appearing as early as January 31. Many critics who previewed the season noted the first episode was shocking, but withheld the surprises of the four episodes made available for preview. Willa Paskin of "Slate" broke the embargo nearly a day early revealing several spoilers. Whereas critics had been somewhat split on the propriety of binge-watching the first season, they were more supportive of the practice for season two.
Early reviews were largely positive, noting that the second season had a darker tone than the first. Molly Parker was praised as an addition to the cast. Nonetheless, many critics were concerned at the domineering presence of Underwood, who appears to have no worthy adversaries. Viewership of the second season was many times higher than season one. The season earned thirteen Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards and three nominations at both the 72nd Golden Globe Awards and the 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards. Kevin Spacey won Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama for playing Frank Underwood in season two. Season two of "House of Cards" was one of the first shows available in 4K video format on Netflix's streaming service.
Summary.
Francis spends most of the season as the newly appointed Vice President of the United States. In early episodes Frank vanquishes reporters on the trail of a murder he committed in the previous season. However, the drama soon shifts to tensions involving Frank, President Walker, the Chinese government, and billionaire businessman Raymond Tusk, eventually culminating in a bitter political war between Frank and Tusk. Frank's wife Claire publicly reveals that she was raped in college by a prominent general and pursues anti-rape legislation. The most significant new character is Jackie Sharp, Frank's successor as House Whip, who soon finds herself embroiled in Frank's plans. As the war between Frank and Tusk consumes the Presidency, things culminate in a scandal that leads to Walker resigning, Tusk being arrested, and Frank ascending to the Oval Office.
Cast.
Among the new cast members in season two are Molly Parker and Sam Page, while directors include Carl Franklin, Jodie Foster, James Foley, and Wright. The season features cameos by several notable journalists, including Ashleigh Banfield, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews, Matt Bai, Morley Safer, Sean Hannity, and Kelly O'Donnell.
Episodes.
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Background.
The second season was made available in its entirety on February 14, 2014 (Valentine's Day) at 12:01 a.m. PT. Prior to the release of season 1, three reviewers, Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post", Nancy deWolf Smith of "The Wall Street Journal", and Alessandra Stanley of "The New York Times", commented on possible binge viewing by Netflix customers. Stanley notes that the show "is probably seen best one episode at a time. It's a delicious immorality play with an excellent cast, but the tempo is slow and oddly ponderous—a romp slowed down to a dirge". Smith also notes that due to its "relentless theme", ""House of Cards" might go down better in smaller portions and thus be enjoyably prolonged", deriding potential binge watchers as people who liken a delicacy to a "bag of M&M's". However, Stuever disagreed about season 1 saying "So, on the iffy chance that "House of Cards" draws you in and you simply cannot stop watching, then, yes, you may power-binge your way through all 13 hours at once". Upon viewing the four episode season 2 preview "Time"'s James Poniewozik says "I could easily see powering through the season in a free weekend, precisely because no individual episode needs much time to sink in". Stanley also felt the second season was "binge-worthy" upon viewing the preview. However, Ellen Gray of Philly.com supports not binge-watching the season, as she believes it does not serve it well.
Production.
Writing.
In interviews during the writing and filming of season 2 showrunner Beau Willimon said he had drawn inspiration for the series from a variety of sources including Robert Caro's "The Years of Lyndon Johnson" and Jeremy Larner's "Nobody Knows". Lyndon B. Johnson was a repeated source for themes and issues. Willimon also commented on the fictional world of politics that the show represented: "It's a rough-and-tumble game whenever power is involved—people's ambitions, their desires, their competitive spirit will often push them to play outside the rules." Willimon noted that "I don't think about topping things ... The evolution of character is not a game of one-upmanship. It is about change. Souls are vast and so the opportunity to explore ways in which characters contradict themselves and evolve is also vast" and that season 2 provided the opportunity "to expand the world and more deeply explore the characters".
For Spacey, the portrayal of Underwood for a second season was a learning process. "There is so much I don't know about Francis, so much that I'm learning ... I've always thought that the profession closest to that of an actor is being a detective ... We are given clues by writers, sometimes clues they're aware of and sometimes not. Then you lay them all out and try to make them come alive as a character who's complex and surprising, maybe even to yourself". Gerald McRaney spoke about his expanded role by saying that whereas in season 1 the challenge to playing his character, Raymond Tusk, was in "having to learn Mandarin", in season 2 his character has become "somebody who you don't know which color hat he's wearing".
Filming.
Netflix had ordered two seasons of 13 episodes when it made its original commitment to the series in 2011. According to Governor of Maryland Martin O'Malley, production of the first season brought $140 million in the form of 2,200 jobs and transactions with 1,800 vendors to the Baltimore metropolitan area economy and the