Netflix Pulls the Plug on “House of Cards” Amid Spacey Claims
File photo of Kevin Spacey posing on the red carpet during the Netflix’s “House Of Cards” Washington, D.C. Screening at NEWSEUM, January 29, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Kris Connor/Getty Images)
Popular political drama “House of Cards” will end after its upcoming season six, Netflix has confirmed.
The news comes after the show’s lead actor and executive producer Kevin Spacey was accused by “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp of making an unwanted sexual advance towards him when he was 14-years-old.
A representative for Netflix, however, confirmed to The Times that the decision to pull the plug on the acclaimed series is not because of the recent sexual assault allegations against Spacey, 58.
The streaming giant and company Media Rights Capital that produces the show issued a joint statement, saying they were “deeply troubled” after Rapp went public with the claims for the first time in decades.
“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,” the statement read.
They added that Spacey was “not working on set at this time.”
The production of “House of Cards” kicked off earlier this month. The news that the sixth installment was on its way, was never announced.
Rapp, 46, had told Buzzfeed News that he attended Spacey’s party on his own after befriending the veteran actor and was the only non-adult there. After getting bored, Rapp went into a bedroom and watched TV until wee hours, when he realized no one else was left in the apartment.
The actor claims Spacey soon entered the bedroom, picked him up, and climbed on top of him in a sexual advance.
Following Rapp’s statement, the “House of Cards” star issued an apology and also came out as a gay man, saying he does not remember the incident and that it “would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.”
Spacey, however, earned flak on social media for revealing his sexual orientation amid the claims of abuse.