Continuing his peculiar Christmas Eve tradition, Kevin Spacey resurfaced by sharing an unconventional video of himself embodying his iconic “House of Cards” character, Frank Underwood. This year, Spacey engaged in a conversation with Tucker Carlson, delving into topics such as Netflix and the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election.
During the interview, Carlson amusingly pointed out Spacey’s omnipresence on the Netflix platform. “Every time a person pulls up the Netflix app. You’re there in some way, have you seen this?” Carlson inquired, mimicking the distinctive Netflix “tudum” intro sound.
In response, Spacey, channeling the authoritative tone of Frank Underwood, emphasized his pivotal role in Netflix’s success. He asserted, “Boom, boom. So it is bizarre they decided to publicly cut ties with me on allegations alone, allegations that have now been proven false.”
“House of Cards” had been a flagship show for Netflix since its 2013 debut, with Spacey portraying the power-hungry U.S. President Frank Underwood until his dismissal in Season 6 amid sexual misconduct allegations. However, Spacey staunchly denied the accusations, a stance reinforced by his 2022 acquittal in a New York sexual battery lawsuit and the clearance of sexual assault charges in a 2023 U.K. trial.
Remaining committed to his role as Underwood throughout the seven-minute interview, Spacey even hinted at a fictional presidential run. In character, he remarked, “I think we could both agree that we need to get some adults back in the room, so if that means taking on the chief executive role, that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for this nation.”
Reflecting on the 2024 election candidates, Spacey humorously likened the experience to “jumping in the jacuzzi with a boner,” commenting on the short-lived candidacy of Mike ‘A Little Too Pensive.’ Regarding the contenders still in the race, Spacey expressed admiration for Vivek ‘Drain the Ramaswamy’ and acknowledged Nikki Haley’s toughness, hinting at his own influence on her political acumen.
Despite the lighthearted banter, Spacey, in character, emphasized the need for a fearless leader in the White House. He invoked a memorable “House of Cards” scene where Underwood takes drastic measures with a journalist, illustrating the kind of assertiveness he believes the country requires.
Carlson also probed Spacey about his return to work, to which Spacey cryptically replied, “I’ve been getting back at work the moment we started talking, Tucker,” blurring the lines between reality and performance.
When questioned about the authenticity of the conversation, Spacey philosophically remarked, “It’s probably a little of both. I mean, Tucker, what’s true and what’s false? What’s life and what’s art? What’s real, what’s performance? I love it when these things intersect because then it gets interesting.”
This unusual tradition began in 2018 when Spacey, grappling with sexual assault allegations that impacted his Hollywood career, released a video titled “Let Me Be Frank.” Speaking directly to the camera as Underwood, Spacey eerily alluded to both the allegations against him and the demise of his character in the final season of the Netflix series.
In subsequent years, Spacey continued the tradition with videos in 2019 and 2020, each featuring Underwood imparting peculiar wisdom, asking for kindness, and addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.
In a legal setback, Spacey and his companies were ordered to pay nearly $31 million to MRC, the production company behind “House of Cards,” for violating sexual harassment policies. Despite the financial blow, Spacey made a cinematic comeback in 2023 with a role in a low-budget Italian indie film titled “L’uomo Che Disegnò Dio,” marking his first film role since the allegations. His previous film, “Billionaire Boys Club,” released in 2018, had a dismal box office performance.
