'She is Lady Macbeth to his Richard III'- Robin Wright talks about 'House of Cards S5'

'House of Cards Season 5' is going to be aired on Zee Cafe and we can't wait. 

Amidst the roaring response from the fans, in came a brilliant peek into the series from Robin Wright. The actress who plays Claire Underwood in the series talks directing, acting and playing a powerful role.

Here's what she had to say -

You have directed a couple of episodes in Season 4 of 'House of Cards'. What made you decide to start directing?

We all are like brothers and sisters on the show. In the 2nd season, when Kevin Spacey (Frank Underwood) was supposed to direct a few episodes, he said, "I just don't want to do it, I'm too busy" and I was like can I do it? And they said, "Okay... let's try it! I'll be grateful to them forever that they gifted me that opportunity.

Who did you have to specifically ask, or did you have to go to someone and say, think of me, I'd like to do this, this is important to me? How did you convince them?

The producers are very close. We do collaborate all the time and have very open communication about everything. Fincher just gave a blessing, "Of course she can do it." 

He also taught me that every scene you direct, every scene you act in, there is the same thing and that is the behaviour over time. It's a fraction, so behaviour is the most important thing of every piece of material that you read, that you perform in and you direct. It has nothing to do with how long the scene is. If this behaviour is fascinating, then you are successful.            

And that formed your form in early episodes?

It did. It gave me the confidence to back the camera up and to see the room, see everybody in the room and see everyone's face. I understood what Fincher meant, completely!

And then you did one, and you thought that you wanted to do more?

Yes!

How did you decide to take on the role?

I had done television in the beginning of my career. I was on a soap opera called 'Santa Barbara'. I thought going back to television meant working with 3 cameras, the way you see on talk shows today. It's three huge cameras, you have to play to each of them, memorize 30 pages of dialogue a day and say really cheesy words. So, I informed that I am really not interested in returning to that form but David convinced me that this is something completely different. 

He told me that it is an original piece. Though a British show, they were going to develop the female character such that she would be distinguished. The female character is not just going to be the husband's wife, the politician's wife. She is going to be equal to men. He said I was going to help him create that woman and I agreed to give it a try. We had no idea we'd be here 6 years later!

How did you help create Claire Underwood?

The intention of the producer and creator of the show, Beau Willimon was to have a perfect union of the two different genders. But the thing about Claire Underwood is that she is the best of both sexes. Francis annihilates people, he devours them, he is so effusive and expressive, he is so direct and he is so verbal, and building that balance between her quietness, stoicism and observance is very discerning. So, we started developing her in that sense.

Did you draw inspiration from either real-life politicians or the figures in the literature, such as Shakespearean characters, or figures in drama?

They told me over the phone before arriving on the set that she is Lady Macbeth to his Richard III and that was pretty clear.

What about the politicians, male and female, did you study them or observe their mannerism?

Never! It's a different tenet. I don't think we have to delve into the politics of it or that kind of the behaviour. All you have to do is watch the news every night and you'll see what all is going on.

There is a lot that has happened in last few days. How do you think, 'House of Cards' plays or it changes in the Trump era?

Trump has stolen all our ideas for season 6 and I don't know what we are going to do. (IF Note: This is so clever, we're raising our 'coffee' mugs to it!)

Do you think we will see a female President of The United States?

You mean next season? I don't know. We will see. I hope so.

'House of Cards Season 5' will premiere tomorrow, Saturday, June 3.

Will you be watching the show? Tell us what you think about it in the comments below!