Following allegations from eight people that Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted and harassed people on the set of House of Cards, the show’s creator Beau Willimon says he was never notified of these complaints. “I feel awful for the people who were wronged while working for House of Cards,†he tells Deadline. “The production did not inform me of the incident that occurred in season one regarding Kevin Spacey or of any action taken as a result.†Netflix and Media Rights Capital, which produce the show, confirmed that there was an investigation in 2012 during filming of the first season into a claim that Spacey had made “a specific remark and gesture†toward a crew member. They said the matter was quickly resolved, with Spacey agreeing to attend training, and that neither company were aware of any other on-set allegations until CNN reported them.
According to Deadline, it’s possible that Willimon, who was the series showrunner at the time, wasn’t made aware of the allegations because he “was not deeply involved in on-set production.†MCR also reportedly kept the investigation under wraps. Netflix has indefinitely suspended production on the show’s final season after allegations of sexual misconduct against minors were made against Spacey. Willimon, who now heads the Writers Guild of America East, continued in his statement: “Clearly we as an industry, particularly those in a position of power, myself included, need to be more perceptive and proactive. We also need to do a better job at empowering and supporting our colleagues who come forward.†He previously claimed to have no knowledge of the allegations against Spacey outside the show, calling them “deeply troubling.â€