Spacey – not only the star of the show, but its executive producer – was fired, and two episodes of the new season that had already been shot with him were scrapped, at no insignificant cost. Netflix and producers MRC acted quickly to shut down work on season six and vowed that there would be no future House of Cards that involved Spacey. Netflix’s approach was signalled soon after allegations against Spacey – some on the House of Cards set itself – first came to light. House Of Cards begins its sixth and final season without former lead Kevin Spacey Photograph: David Giesbrecht/Netflix “It is art imitating real life: you know that women will triumph over desperately flawed men,” Michael Dobbs, the politician on whose political thriller the series is based, told BBC Radio 4. With focus re-shifting onto Underwood’s wife Claire, played by Robin Wright, a series that had a malevolent, power-hungry man at its dark heart will be recast as a drama with a strong female lead. Spacey’s absence is explained by his character’s death, already teased by the show on Twitter with a clip showing Underwood’s grave and the caption: “You should have known”. It is the first major show to carry on without its central character as a result of revelations arising out of the #MeToo movement. Nearly one year after the first allegations of sexual of abuse were levelled against Spacey, the Netflix drama starts its sixth and final season without him on Friday. Kevin Spacey, the actor who portrayed him, will now have more time to reflect on how true those words are. Sex is about power.’” So went one of US president Frank Underwood’s bone-chilling bons mots in an early episode of House of Cards.

“A great man once said, ‘Everything is about sex.

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