Robin Wright, co-star to Kevin Spacey in the first five seasons of the hit Netflix show House of Cards, spoke on the Today show Monday about the sexual assault allegations facing Spacey, plus the final season of the show.
“I think we were all surprised, of course, and ultimately saddened,” said Wright of the accusations against Spacey. “We forged ahead. We were so thankful that we were able to complete the series as planned.”
The sixth and final season of House of Cards will be released in fall 2018, this time without Spacey starring as President Frank Underwood. Wright’s character, Claire Underwood, will instead be sitting in the White House.
Spacey was fired from the show last year after actor Anthony Rapp spoke out about an unwanted encounter he had with Spacey when he was 14 years old. Just last week, another three sexual assault allegations came out against Spacey, dating back to the 1990s.
Wright said she had a “respectful, professional” relationships with Spacey. She said she has not had contact with Spacey since the end of his last season with House of Cards, nor would she know how to reach him.
“We were co-workers, really. We never socialized outside of work,” she said. “Kevin and I knew each other between action and cut, and in between setups, where we would giggle. I didn’t know the man. I knew the incredible craftsman that he is.”
Michael Kelly and Constance Zimmer, co-stars to Wright and Spacey, also talked about continuing the show without Spacey.
“I also think what people don’t realize is that we already knew that this season was the final season before all of this happened,” said Zimmer.
Wright, 52, will be directing the season finale of the series as well as playing the starring role.
She also commented on the wider #MeToo movement outside of House of Cards. When asked if she’s experienced harassment during her career, she responded, “Of course. Who hasn’t?”
“This is a bigger, broader issue I think,” she continued. “Seduction—I don’t care who you are—it’s about power, and once you overpower someone, that person then becomes vulnerable. And this last year I think has shined a light in a new way, to allow us to start a new conversation. We just need to shift the paradigm.”
