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In the acclaimed series House of Cards, the cunning politician Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) always stays steps ahead of his rivals. As the show debuts its fourth season on Netflix, here are some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about this revolutionary series that even Frank might find surprising.
1. IT’S INSPIRED BY A BRITISH MINISERIES.
While it feels entirely unique, House of Cards draws its roots from a 1990 BBC miniseries with the same title. Adapted from Michael Dobbs’ novel, the four-part series was set in the aftermath of Margaret Thatcher’s era as Prime Minister.
2. MICHAEL DOBBS SPEAKS FROM EXPERIENCE.
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Author Michael Dobbs didn’t need extensive research for his novel, which inspired both the miniseries and the Netflix adaptation. Beyond his writing career, Dobbs was Thatcher’s chief of staff from 1986 to 1987 and held the position of deputy chairman of the Conservative Party from 1994 to 1995.
3. BEAU WILLIMON IS EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE.
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Creator Beau Willimon (who won’t be returning as showrunner for the 2017 season) has firsthand knowledge of the workings of Washington, D.C. His background includes working for prominent political figures such as Charles Schumer, Hillary Clinton, and Howard Dean.
4. WILLIMON BROUGHT IN EXPERT ASSISTANCE TOO.
To ensure the political tone and strategies were perfectly accurate—or, as he explained to Town & Country, “to avoid making complete fools of ourselves”—Willimon enlisted his college friend Jay Carson, a seasoned political advisor and strategist who has worked with Michael Bloomberg, Howard Dean, and the Clintons, as the show’s political consultant. Carson also served as the inspiration for Stephen Meyers, Ryan Gosling’s character in George Clooney’s The Ides of March, which Willimon penned.
5. HOUSE OF CARDS WAS DAVID FINCHER’S FIRST FORAY INTO TELEVISION.
While two-time Oscar nominee David Fincher is renowned for his cinematic achievements in films like Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, and Gone Girl, he ventured into television for the first time with House of Cards, serving as an executive producer. Fincher also helmed the direction of the series’ initial two episodes.
6. THE SHOW SPARKED A MAJOR BIDDING WAR.
Although Fincher and Kevin Spacey (who also executive produces the series) started developing House of Cards without a network deal, a fierce bidding war soon erupted, with AMC and HBO among the contenders. In a groundbreaking move at the time, Netflix secured the rights not only by offering a substantial sum but also by committing to produce two seasons upfront. “We pitched it to several networks, and while they all loved it, none were willing to commit to 13 episodes,” Fincher explained to Empire Magazine. “We were stuck. In my overconfidence, I thought, ‘Why not? If we’re doing it, let’s go all in with 13 episodes.’ It’s an immense amount of work—100 hours a week for a challenging job.”
7. HOUSE OF CARDS REVOLUTIONIZED THE TV INDUSTRY.
Netflix’s acquisition of House of Cards—its second original series after Lilyhammer—transformed the television landscape by releasing an entire season at once, exclusively online. “This is a fresh approach … dropping all episodes simultaneously, but it aligns with how we consume TV today,” Spacey remarked at the 2012 MIPCOM event, with Willimon adding, “Streaming is the future. Traditional TV won’t exist in five years … everyone will be streaming.”
8. IT’S THE FIRST WEB-BASED SERIES TO EARN AN EMMY.
In 2013, House of Cards achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first online series to win an Emmy—three Emmys, to be precise: for Outstanding Directing (David Fincher), Outstanding Cinematography (Eigil Bryld), and Outstanding Casting (Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert). This paved the way for numerous other accolades, including Golden Globes for Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, and set the stage for other digital-only series like Amazon’s Transparent, which won Golden Globes for Best Television Series and Best Actor (Jeffrey Tambor) in 2015.
9. KEVIN SPACEY INTRODUCED WOODY ALLEN TO NETFLIX.
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In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Spacey revealed that he gifted Woody Allen a Netflix subscription. “As an actor, I firmly believe in doing whatever it takes, within reason, to land a role,” Spacey explained. “I have immense respect for Woody Allen. Despite his frequent new projects, I never received an audition or call. So, I decided to reach out directly. I introduced myself, sent him a Netflix subscription, and said, ‘If you haven’t seen my work, this series might interest you.’ He responded with a kind and thoughtful letter, thanking me for Netflix and acknowledging my versatility. He expressed interest in considering me for a future film.” (Allen confirmed his interest in working with Spacey during a 2014 podcast.)
10. FINCHER ASSEMBLED A STAR-STUDDED TEAM OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SERIES.
After establishing the show’s tone by directing the first two episodes, Fincher passed the baton to a select group of renowned directors, including James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross, At Close Range), Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress, Out of Time), Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Phone Booth), Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, The Secret Garden), and Jodie Foster (Little Man Tate, The Beaver). “I saw it as 13 interconnected stories within a larger narrative, and I entrusted parts of it to directors whose work I deeply respect,” Fincher explained to DGA Quarterly about the first season.
11. KEVIN SPACEY PUT IN THE RESEARCH.
To fully grasp Frank Underwood’s role, Kevin Spacey shadowed Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Majority Whip from California. “I don’t envy his position,” Spacey told George Stephanopoulos about McCarthy. “It’s incredibly challenging. But it was fascinating to attend whip meetings and observe their strategies, agendas, and execution.”
12. THE MAJORITY OF THE SHOW IS FILMED IN MARYLAND.
Although the show is set in D.C., most of House of Cards’ scenes—including large portions of The White House—were filmed on a soundstage in Joppa, Maryland. “We’re constructing these sets to endure for what we hope will be a lengthy series,” executive producer John Melfi explained to The Baltimore Sun in 2012. “This is essentially a Hollywood studio backlot.”
13. CAMERA MOVEMENT IS DISCOURAGED.
While Fincher designed the series to be director-focused, he implemented a set of guidelines for filming, emphasizing that handheld or Steadicam shots should be avoided. “David mentioned that the camera should only move if there’s a compelling reason,” James Foley, the show’s most frequent director, shared with DGA Quarterly. “This led me to adopt a self-imposed discipline to maintain stylistic consistency.”
14. FINCHER WARNED THE CAST NOT TO MESS IT UP!
During a commentary track for the first season, Fincher revealed that every lead actor was their top choice for their respective roles. “I walked in and said what I’ve always wanted to tell a cast: ‘Everyone here was our first pick, so don’t screw this up. If you do, I’ll never forgive you.’”
15. RACHEL POSNER WASN’T INITIALLY PLANNED AS A RECURRING CHARACTER.
Rachel Brosnahan, who portrays Doug Stamper’s troubled call girl and emotional weak point, was originally cast for only two episodes with a total of five lines. “She delivered such a compelling performance in those initial episodes that I began considering how to expand her role and give her character more depth,” Willimon explained to the Chicago Tribune. “Rachel was so exceptional when we brought her back that I kept wanting to write more for her.”
16. PRESIDENT WALKER AND SECRETARY OF STATE DURANT ARE ACTUALLY MARRIED.
In real life, Michael Gill and Jayne Atkinson, who play former President Garrett Walker and Secretary of State Catherine Durant, have been married since October 3, 1998. This fact was unknown to Fincher, Spacey, or the rest of the cast until they were cast. “I had four auditions, all recorded on tape,” Gill told the New York Post in 2014. “I never met Kevin or David. We both got the roles within days of each other. It wasn’t until later in the process that they discovered we were married. When we arrived on set, none of the cast knew.”
17. WILLIMON'S ADMIRATION FOR THE WIRE IS EVIDENT.
18. CASHEW IS ACTUALLY PLAYED BY THREE GUINEA PIGS.
The undeniable star of House of Cards’ second season was Cashew, the viral guinea pig and best friend of hacker Gavin (Jimmi Simpson). The role is shared by three guinea pigs—Oscar, Lucas, and Encore—though trainer Carol Rosen revealed to Vulture that Oscar handled about 90 percent of the scenes.
19. FRANK UNDERWOOD HAS A HUGE FANBASE IN CHINA.
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has gained massive popularity in China, where it streams on Sohu, the country’s equivalent of Netflix. In 2014, Sohu reported that out of the 24.5 million viewers of House of Cards, a significant portion were government employees. Wang Qishan, one of the Communist Party of China’s top leaders, is said to be one of the show’s biggest fans.
20. PRESIDENT OBAMA CAN’T STAND HOUSE OF CARDS SPOILERS!
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A day before the second season of House of Cards debuted in 2013, President Obama took to Twitter to caution his millions of followers:
Tomorrow: @HouseOfCards. No spoilers, please.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 13, 2014
(This also suggests that even the President doesn’t get early access to episodes.)
21. ONE OF FRANK UNDERWOOD’S MOST MEMORABLE LINES CAME FROM FINCHER.
In the first season, Frank Underwood breaks the fourth wall to address the audience: “You know what I admire about people? They stack so neatly.” While Willimon included the line in the script, it was originally a remark made by Fincher. It was said to be his blunt reply to a line producer on the troubled set of Alien 3, who advised the famously detail-oriented director to be more of a “people person.”
22. UNDERWOOD’S PORTRAIT IS DISPLAYED IN THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY.
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During the premiere of House of Cards’ latest season last month, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. revealed its newest addition: a portrait of Frank Underwood. The artwork will be displayed alongside its collection of presidential portraits until October.
