After five years and six seasons with Claire Underwood, Robin Wright finally has to let her House of Cards character go. During a talk at the 92Y — where Wright was joined by co-star Michael Kelly and executive producers Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese — the actress teased what will happen in the Netflix series’ final episode, doing her best to not give away any spoilers.
“It’s really hard not to give it away. The show is about the battle for positions of power, all the way around. So: who wins?†Wright told moderator Jackie Strause. “I will say it’s so beautifully macabre. It’s really beautiful. It’s so moving and generous and so macabre and so dark. It’s gonna shock the shit of you guys.â€
The firing of Kevin Spacey, who played master manipulator Frank Underwood, went unacknowledged in the night’s discussion. With Frank killed off, Claire is fully in command of the government and the show’s drama, which also includes breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the show’s viewers. “That was a big part of the discussion, how [Claire’s] relationship with the audience is going to be different than Francis’s,†she said. “He’s always campaigning to you guys, always was. No matter what he was unveiling, sharing, or lying about, he was campaigning for your attention and for your loyalty. She is saying, Not only am I going to tell you truth, but I’m going to let you know how vulnerable I am as well, how scared I am sometimes. And she’s posing questions to the audience, wanting their help.â€