NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Robin Wright on Kevin Spacey's House of Cards exit: 'We had to start over'

By Michele Manelis
NZ Herald·
16 Nov, 2018 09:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Teaser: House of Cards (Final Season) / Netflix

Robin Wright reveals what those first days after Kevin Spacey's exit from House of Cards were like, and how she's feeling now the show's over.

What was it like the first day on set in the new season without your onscreen husband, Kevin Spacey?

We pulled up our bootstraps and got to work. We had to start over. And with a rewrite there was a lot of work to do. The atmosphere on the set took some getting used to for the actors. It was definitely something to adapt to collectively. But then again, there was a lot of laughter, a lot of joking all the time, that part never changed.

It must have been a difficult time for the cast and crew. You had to shut down production and no one really knew what was going to happen.

We had to take the time to process what happened so the producers and Netflix had multiple discussions. That's why we shut down for a few months and really weighed the options [for the future]. When you spend 6 years together, like everyone who does a TV series, the cast becomes their family. We spend more time together than we do with our own families and we are a support system for one another. The climate was so intense at the time, nobody knew what to do. All of this was at the forefront of the news.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It must be strange that often reality has preceded or followed what happens on House of Cards. For example, there was President Frank Underwood's proposed immigration ban, congressional hearings and leaks to the media, as well as Russia's attempt to take advantage of a divisive America.

It was weird. Sometimes with what was happening in [Washington] D.C, you'd predict what could happen with our current President, and then he would trump us, no pun intended, and then we'd realise, 'Now we can't use that idea!' so we were constantly having to change the script.

If real life continues to imitate art, then we might finally see a woman in the White House?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Well, I am not giving up hope. Maybe there's some magic dust that's going to be brought down from above that will bring some kind of change. That's what we need, right? It's interesting that so many other countries that have female leaders, yet we are the land of opportunity.

What were the unexpected obstacles and joys of moving into the lead role while you're also directing?

Obstacles, there really weren't any. It was just that my days were longer and there were a lot of Rubik's Cube type of situations where you move stuff around quickly, changing things last minute. And the joys, I love working so much as a director because I get to work with all of the people and we have such an incredible production and cast.

Has House of Cards make you more political?

Discover more

Entertainment

Spacey posts bizarre video as Frank Underwood as assault charge laid

25 Dec 02:16 AM

I don't think so. It's made me more politically aware of how corrupt politics can be. It's shocking to watch the news every day in and of itself and that the show actually brings levity.

Do you talk to your kids about the show? Does it open up discussions with them?

No! My kids are so bored with my work.

You got married again recently. Congratulations!

Thank you. I don't really feel comfortable talking about my personal life because I've been so taken out of context and paraphrased for the 30 years that I've been in this industry and I'm kind of done doing that now.

When you were with Ben Foster you talked quite a bit about that.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I know! Stupid, stupid of me. I'm learning to shut my mouth more.

When you see Princess Bride or Forrest Gump on TV, do you watch them?

I don't, actually. It's so strange to look at yourself 30 years ago like that. That's another human being, right, like when you look at pictures of yourself? It's the same thing. It's too upsetting. You're like, 'Oh, youth has gone!' (laughs)

What will you miss the most about Claire?

Her clothes.

Did you get to keep any of them?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

No, because I think they're going to do an exhibition of them because my stylist designed those pieces from the ground up, most of them, and we were very much involved every season changing the look of Claire and why the gold buttons and the military epaulets. She became more military as she ascended.

What won't you miss?

The 16 hour days!

You're shooting Woman Woman 1984: I thought you died in the last movie?

The Amazons are a flashback in the film.

Speaking of the 80s, that was the decade you grew up in. How do you feel about that era?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It was so great being around in the '80s. It was was fantastic, much better than now.

In what way?

It was a better world.

• Season six of House of Cards is screening on Netflix now.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'Hate him': Paul Simon's daughter chastises Richard Gere, hopes her dead pets will haunt him

10 Jul 02:09 AM
Entertainment

Stay or leave? The most surprising Mafs couple switch-ups of 2025

10 Jul 02:00 AM
Entertainment

Horner's future with Halliwell unclear after Red Bull dismissal

10 Jul 12:37 AM

Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'Hate him': Paul Simon's daughter chastises Richard Gere, hopes her dead pets will haunt him

'Hate him': Paul Simon's daughter chastises Richard Gere, hopes her dead pets will haunt him

10 Jul 02:09 AM

Lulu Simon says Richard Gere will demolish her childhood home after promising not to.

Stay or leave? The most surprising Mafs couple switch-ups of 2025

Stay or leave? The most surprising Mafs couple switch-ups of 2025

10 Jul 02:00 AM
Horner's future with Halliwell unclear after Red Bull dismissal

Horner's future with Halliwell unclear after Red Bull dismissal

10 Jul 12:37 AM
Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry reunite for family photos amid split

Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry reunite for family photos amid split

09 Jul 10:03 PM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP