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Renewed: House of Cards “deeply troubled”, confirms final season.

Headlines overshadow show's renewal as Netflix and producers admit they are "deeply troubled" by allegations.

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Netflix has confirmed a sixth and final season for flagship drama House of Cards.

The news comes just a day after allegations levelled at star Kevin Spacey, surrounding a sexual assault in the 1980s by actor Anthony Rapp, then 14. Spacey apologised for “inappropriate drunken behavior,” subsequently coming out as gay. But he has been widely criticised for failing to adequately address the allegations.

“Media Rights Capital and Netflix are deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey,” the companies said in a joint statement. “In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time.”

Former showrunner Beau Willimon stated, however, that during the four years that he and Spacey worked together on the show, “I neither witnessed nor was aware of any inappropriate behavior on set or off. That said, I take reports of such behavior seriously and this is no exception. I feel for Mr. Rapp and I support his courage.”

Producers claim the final season was already finalised prior to current headlines. While House of Cards had technically not been renewed before today, production was already well underway. Earlier this month, questions arose about the safety of the production when a gunman opened fire on an office park near the show’s Maryland set.

Meanwhile, Anthony Rapp, now featuring on Star Trek: Discovery, has not made further comment following his interview with BuzzFeed.

GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also issued a statement: “Coming-out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault. This is not a coming-out story about Kevin Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and all those who bravely speak out against unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter.

3 Responses

  1. Apart from the reality show spin-off about Kevin Spacey and his personal issues I hope this final season is completed in full and not cancelled or cut short to get it out the way, the show has gone on long enough to have a conclusion appropriate to the original story on which it is based.

    1. Same here. All the ones I saw either implied or actually said that Spacey’s sorry-not-sorry-btw-I’m-gay post had caused it to be cancelled.

      Props to Mr Knox (again).

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