Given everything that came out about Kevin Spacey late last year, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the stories fell through the cracks. Once Anthony Rapp’s story came out, the dominos fell hard and fast. Netflix suspended production on House of Cards, and executives came in to assess what was going on, and whether the show could survive. Unsurprisingly, Spacey had used the production as his hunting ground to harass and assault young men. Keep in mind that the show had been filming for years, and that many of the below-the-line employees said that there was a culture of silence with Spacey’s abuse, and that they were always told to just shrug it off. Many wondered what Spacey’s costar Robin Wright knew. Robin played his wife on the show, and while they were reportedly not the closest of costars, many did wonder if Robin was ever going to talk about it. Well, she is. Vaguely.
Robin Wright is speaking out about former House of Cards costar Kevin Spacey, months after sexual assault allegations were brought against him. In an interview with Today‘s Savannah Guthrie, airing on Monday, the actress, 52, opens up about her interactions with Spacey on set of the hit Netflix series.
“Was there any kind of red flag, or anything that would have made you think this was possible?” Guthrie inquires as Wright recalls, “Kevin and I knew each other between action and cut, and in between setups where we would giggle.”
However, when the cameras were off, Wright says she did not interact with him.
“I didn’t really– I didn’t know the man. I knew the incredible craftsman that he is,” she explains.
She says more in the clips I’m including below, and she comes across as someone choosing her words very carefully. I get the impression that she liked Spacey as an actor and as a person, and she’s not going out of her way to take the victims’ side, nor is she going out of her way to cape for Spacey. It’s a weird balance to strike, right? Then again, we already put too much emphasis on “what does his wife/girlfriend say about all of this” – and now we’re doing it about FICTIONAL wives too.
“I haven’t heard from him, and I don’t even know how to reach him.” @RealRobinWright says of Kevin Spacey pic.twitter.com/F2EuKsmuA5
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 9, 2018
“Do you feel like Netflix did the right thing in cutting ties [with Spacey]?” @savannahguthrie asks @RealRobinWright pic.twitter.com/nCKCec8sEd
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 9, 2018
“This is a bigger, broader issue, I think, which is seduction. I don’t care you are. It’s about power, and once you overpower someone, that person then becomes vulnerable.” @RealRobinWright talks harassment and #MeToo movement. pic.twitter.com/JzNVByuvg5
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 9, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I sometimes wonder if these statements are partially drafted by lawyers. It would explain a lot.
Lawyer? Maybe. Good publicist? Definitely. Either way? Smart woman. This is not a time for flowery prose. It’s all a f***ing Mesa.
Of course she was coached on what, and how, to put this out (and probably why it took so long to be said). Frankly, I call BS. I’ve been on/around sets for a very long time (my BIL is a writer/producer), and you *definitely* hear who is doing what to whom. It is a hotbed of gossip and whispers. There is no way she didn’t know/hear what was going on with Spacey.
That said, I love her character Claire, and am so glad to see her taking over! I’m am really looking forward to the new season of HoC starting!
I feel the same way. I think she knew. At least she deffinitely heard the rumours that were widespread on set. As it was said numerious times, there was a culture of silence. I frankly think there is some Claire Underwood in Robin Wright. This is why she managed to steal the show from such a crafty actor as Spacey. She chose to advance her carrere. And I say that as a fan of Robin. I think she not only did get harrased in the business, she was probably also abused by her lunatic husband. So it is understandable on some level that she would say that well, of course, everyone gets harrased in this business. I think this quote really does tell a lot. I, however can not agree with this: “Then again, we already put too much emphasis on “what does his wife/girlfriend say about all of this” – and now we’re doing it about FICTIONAL wives too.” She had quite some power within the show, she was a producer for more than one season of the show and directed numerious episodes. Her acointablity in this case does not come from being a woman/a wife, it comes with being in the power of strenght that she so beautifuly talks about.
well, as far as last week new accusations against him were still being issued to the police so is safe to say that her statements other than carefully chosen and diplomatic might have a bit of legal advice too, given that at any time the 8 men harassed by Spacey on the HoC set might decide to press charges … so I think she’s in a very difficult position, also promoting her show and at the same time trying to not become a headline grabber, and opportunist (looking at you Amber Tamblyn). She is getting a lot of heat for not jumping into the metoo hype bandwagon and avoid pointing her finger to Spacey, but I think instead she’s being the epitome of class and diplomacy. In the interview she says she’s been harassed too, of course she was. She could have give the exact same answer Sharon Stone said when asked the same question “ahahahah…arrived to Hollywood as a 20 year old..looking like I look…harassed? what ya think? aahahah” Legend.
When ever I hear such dross I am reminded what Andy Warhol said when asked about Edie Sedegwick upon her death. “Edie? I didn’t really know her”
You did. You knew her well. It got messy and unfortunate and you took the easy way out. Did Robin know what he did in his private life, probably not. It’s easier to say I was disappointed as this behavior was not known to me and he seemed like a ‘fill in the blank’. What ever blank was to her. In absence of that this seems like corporate cover.
I really like her.
I’ll have to watch the new season of House of Cards
I have no problem believing that they had a professional relationship that wasn’t terribly close, but something about her very careful language is still a little off-putting. She didn’t say anything “wrong,” but she isn’t really engaging in the issue at all either. I think she’s gotten really adept at deflecting personal questions over the years. I would love to know who she is in private, because I honestly have no idea.
After seeing the number of times MeToo moment has been turned into a BitchYouKnewitsYourFault moment (Streep, Lawrence, etc). I think she’s just very very wise.
He’s toast. That’s enough.
Absolutely, I don’t blame her at all! She’s a smart woman. I’m so curious about her.
Exactly. That has been insane.
Exposure to a very gossipy environment can effect people in different ways. It can make some believe whatever they hear about anyone and spread rumor as truth without a second thought- it may even become a real struggle for some to actually refrain from doing that, after a certain point. But for others, it can make them more cautious or cynical about what they hear.
That’s a very good point Otaku Fairy. To go even further, in any group there are those that actively participate in gossip, listening and spreading, and there are those that do not participate at all, to the point of being very unapproachable by design.
which is exactly what she wants. She’s a great actress and over the years has given proof that she does not enjoy the Hollywood game: she’s all about the work. So I totally believe that once the set lights went off she grabbed her stuff and ran home to her hot French husband. I don’t see her making the rounds of red carpets, parties and pap strolls. I’m sure she heard the rumors but in the context of an interview to a major outlet and being herself someone so serious and focused on work, why would she need to comment about rumors? I think she’s been classy, wise and has given a lesson on how to handle this issue, in fact.
I agree, she’s carefully keeping her distance. Her livelihood is still tied to the show, I’m sure she’s very limited what she can say.
I don’t blame her for being cautious and private. I think it’s fine to ask her about it as part of a discussion, but I hate that it so often mens’ horrible actions come back to the women in their life – wives, coworkers, friends, family.
I think it’s a bit unfair to go after her for Spacey’s actions. Blame the man himself and the enablers who helped cover it up.
Thought it was a bit funny when Savannah Guthrie asked her if there were any red flags, considering she worked with Matt Lauer. I get that she’s doing her job as a journalist, but thought it was a little …weird..anyways.
This. Only thing I thought about. If it were me, I’d have had a hard time not turning the tables. Not only were there red flags, it was the culture, and Guthrie continued her co-hosting gig and practically shed tears after his departure.
My guess is she was aware, but I’m not sure what she could have done. She was very much still in career comeback mode for much of HoC. I think he was an executive producer from the get-go, and she only got exec producer listing (and equal pay) by season 4. She didn’t have the clout she has now.
I also think she put up with Sean Penn’s crap for years and is probably really used to abusive behavior and being expected to sweep it under the rug. She may not be as willing to go to bat about abusive behavior as your average person, which is understandable.
She looks AMAZING. I wonder what she does to her skin and how I can do the same, on a smaller budget. lol
get a hot French husband just like she did. Amazing results for the skin and other bits…
She looks plastic.
Did Robin Wright live under a rock the other 99 percent of the time she didn’t interact with Kevin Spacey? She’d never heard a whisper from anyone in all her years around movies, Hollywood, and entertainers, actors, stage hands, other employees? Please Robin! Better to say nothing than to tip your hand at being dishonest.
She said she didn’t know the man. She didn’t say she didn’t hear the gossip. So I think her answer is truthful.
Anyway, like I said upthread, I thought this question was funny coming from Savannah Guthrie. Technically, the same could be asked of the interviewer (if she knew about the button under Matt Lauer’s desk).
She survived the Penn years, so my hat is off to her.
*shrug* I’ve never been on a set, but I’ve definitely worked in places (like where I work not) that are hotbeds for gossip. It IS possible to put on blinders to that though and just do your job. My mantra is “I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to work and get paid.” And that’s what I do. I hear and see people whispering and giggling and sometimes trying to pull me into the fray but I’m 42 and learned that lesson a long time ago to avoid that. She’s older than I am, so I’m sure she’s learned that lesson. I have no reason to believe what she’s saying isn’t true.
Hahaha love how co stars are all “we are like a family, we know each other so well” and as soon as one is accused of abuse its “I don’t know him” such a crock!! Patricia Clarkson was asked about him on Watch What’s happening having been on 1 season of Hoc and said she wasn’t surprised about the accusations at all.
Yet Robin knew nothing? 🙄
If she was honest and explained that she knew but as he was so powerful she did not know how to react it would be more helpful and respectable than I know nothing!!!!!!!
So Wright knew nothing about Spaceys behavior around and towards the HoC crew? Sure. That’s believable.
She’s clearly not trying to ruffle any feathers on either “side”. Disappointing to be honest. I find it hard to believe that she worked with him that closely for so long and didn’t know a thing about him, hear anything or even have her own intuition.