Author: Brian Porreca

March 09, 2016 10:00am PT by Brian Porreca

 Courtesy of Netflix

“Honestly, I said to my agent, ‘Does Beau [Willimon] know?’ Boris McGiver tells THR about getting the call to reprise his role as journalist Tom Hammerschmidt in season four.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from House of Cards’ fourth season.]

House of Cards’ anti-hero Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) has racked up his list of victims over three seasons without being stopped. Rest in peace to those deceased by the hands of Underwood: Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), Peter Russo (Corey Stoll), Rachel Posner (Rachel Brosnahan), and now in season four Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus). Don’t forget the dog’s life he ended in the series premiere. Ruthless. 

There are also those who may not be six feet under, but have still been burned by the fictitious president: Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel), Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker), and Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali), to name a few. It seemed as though Frank and his first lady turned vice president Claire Underwood (Robin Right) were unstoppable. But then, after Tom Hammerschmidt (Boris McGiver) got back onto the scene after Goodwin’s death the maniacal married couple no longer seemed untouchable. Hammerschmidt was first introduced to fans as Zoe’s boss in season one, when he was publicly humiliated by her and axed from the Washington Herald after he called her a c—. Now, he’s back and the preacher of presenting the facts before jumping into a story found the facts in season four. McGiver opens up to The Hollywood Reporter about his surprising return to the series, his character’s complex arc throughout, and his hope for “tension” to come in season five.

Hammerschmidt was missing from season three. What was your reaction getting the call to come back and have this big arc in season four?

Honestly, I said to my agent, “Does Beau [Willimon] know?” Because I was like, “What?” I know Beau and he was like, “Thanks for doing this, but I can’t promise you anything. It’s probably not going to happen.” I said “That’s fine, that’s fine, cool.” So a year and a half later, I got the call and I was like, “Really?!” But totally happy and surprised.

Hammerchmidt’s story on Underwood is about his corruption to the presidency. He doesn’t really expose the murders he was involved in. Is that something fans could see unravel in season five? 

Judging by the last episode of season four and my last season with Underwood, I think that nothing has been placed. It’s like a pretty good dog with a bone, pretty good digging and something along those lines might come up. That would be really cool to see. I’m not a writer, I just do what they tell me. 

The scene with Frank and Hammerschmidt in the Roosevelt Room was intense. What were the dynamics like filming that scene? 

First of all, [Kevin]’s just great to work with because he’s such a great actor and he’s really personable and it’s all about the work with him. Granted, he’s my executive producer and boss, but onset and when we did read-throughs, table reads, it was always actor first. When you’re with him in the room it’s actor, actor; it’s not about being with your boss. And I loved that. As an actor myself, I don’t waste time. There’s too much money involved, there’s too much pressure. I don’t mind jokes and stuff like that and having fun, but I’m really about the work and I loved working with him. It makes it easier because it’s all about the work so the work gets done. So that particular scene I just loved working with Kevin because it is truly just about the work. And when you’re both there and you got a laser focus on each other it just becomes exciting.  

Now Hammerschmidt and Janine are the last two reporters standing, from the originals. What was it like working with Constance Zimmer again? Her scene was brief, but when did you find out she’d be back?

I found out about a month before when I got the script. It was absolutely kept under the wraps. And even after we wrapped I was told by Netflix to really not talk to anybody about it. We don’t talk to anybody anyway, but specifically they said, “Please, don’t talk to anybody about it, because yours is a comeback surprise that we don’t want to give away.” Which I totally got. But working with Constance, she’s so much fun to work with. She’s such a lovely, bubbly, bright light of a human being. So that part of it was great. We also got along really well. We clicked when we first met in the first time. It’s very easy to read each other’s acting when we’re together. It was all too brief, but I think it’s a pretty powerful scene. 

What do you make of Hammerschmidt’s story throughout the entire series? In the first season, he was fired and publicly humiliated by Zoe Barnes and now he’s kind of saving the day as the one person taking down Underwood…

Honestly, I think [it’s] true gumshoe journalism, true vetted journalism and I think that’s what Hammerschmidt stands for. That’s what Beau, David [Fincher], and Kevin’s idea was for Hammerschmidt to be — this last vestige of someone who actually will say, “I’m not going to say anything ’till I hear some facts. Let me see some facts. Let me read some facts. Let me vet the facts. Let me double vet the facts. Then we’ll talk.” And to see that arc happen is really great because it gives hope. … To me, if the story has any affect upon people is it brings hope towards bringing back vetted journalism I think that would be what the arc of Hammerschmidt would be. I believe that’s what the writing was trying to say. 

Fans haven’t witnessed too much backlash from his story yet because it happened in the very last episode. Is that something that will be explored in season five?

I hope so. If Hammerschmidt becomes this pea in the prince and princess’ bed that becomes this boulder and begins to take them down, it’d be wonderful to see the complicated difficulty that if it does go down that route, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we have these two actually doing some big work as politicians — raising the minimum wage, actually helping people — and now suddenly they’re caught in the cross hairs of an investigation? So, you’re going to take down some of the top politicians the country has ever had? That kind of thing. That’s where I’d like to see it. I would hope the investigation continues and it gets really raucous, it gets really tense. I could see all kinds of stuff happening towards Hammerschmidt because in one of the scenes with the newspaper owner where she tells me, “Be careful” because she’s lost two already. And he says, “Don’t worry I’ll be fine once this comes out.” But will he really be fine? They had ways to get rid of things they don’t like so…

Now that it’s out, he should be protected.

One would hope! (Laughs.) Subway trains, subway trains, they keep coming by!

Will you be returning for season five?

Listen, your question to God’s ears. I haven’t heard anything. I’m sure they’re planning what they’re planning now. I think I find out sometime in April. 

At the end of this season Frank instills fear by announcing an all-out war. How do you see that playing out? Is that pushing it too far on the show?

I don’t know, I’ve been thinking about that myself. It’s interesting because maybe creating fear so they can win the election and it’s much like this implementing of fear by Trump, just raising up people’s fears, fears, fears and it’s getting a lot of PR and people are really starting to wake up and they’re no longer just hiding in the bushes. They’re saying, “I hate black people too, I hate immigrants.” I live in a spot in Upstate New York where it’s just rampant. They just come out of the woodwork. So it’s very interesting to see what fear does. Maybe that will be the only way for them to [win]. If it’s an all-out war, what kind of war is it?

Your character exposed the skeletons of Underwood. In the current election do you see the possibility of journalists uncovering something shocking about the current candidates? 

I think yes. There’s a problem with that depending on whose network you air it on. So much of our networks are owned by right wing owners and if it isn’t part of their politics, it won’t be heard or uncovered. What’s interesting about the Underwoods in the fictional world is they echo a lot of the dastardly ways in which truth can be convoluted and obfuscated. I guess it’s possible. I don’t think it’s as possible as Hammerschmidt did it in the fake world. Gosh, I would love it if that were more true. Certainly on NPR, it seems to be the only vestige left of actual attempts of reporting. 

Do you think there are parallels to the current candidates and the characters on the show?

Yeah, absolutely! You have the gun rights stuff, you have the husband and wife with Clinton and Mrs. Clinton. There’s a lot of parallels. … [Beau] just takes the stories right from life and goes, “This isn’t that crazy.” This is all stuff that he reaches. For instance, [for] Underwood’s hallucinations, he talked to quite a few doctors and they said, “Those hallucinations are as real as anything you’ve ever experienced in your life. When pneumonia starts to do that to your brain, you cannot tell the difference.” That’s Beau’s type of writing. 

Who in the series do you wish you filmed more with?

Robin Wright, absolutely. I’m really fascinated by how simple she can be on the screen. Truly, simple and do so much. I’ve been directed by her, but I haven’t had any scenes with her yet.

What was the dynamic like with Robin directing you?

She’s a younger director, but just like a really great, kind person. … She didn’t come on set with this massive ego. She would stop and go to the crew, “Is that right?” And they’re like, “Yeah, yeah.” She would always check in to see if what she’s doing is right. And that to me is the mark of a real student, an amazing student. So the element of anything just leaves the room when the director at the helm says, “Ummm, did I do that right?” It’s just great. That’s what’s great about working with her I must say. She has great ideas, and you just go with them. The dialogue is great. 

Do you watch the series once it comes out? Do you binge-watch? What do you think is the best way to watch a show like this?

This show in particular, I don’t like binge-watching it because there’s so much in there. I’ll do at most two a day, truth be told, three a day. But it’s just a little bit too much at once I can’t take it all in. I love that people binge-watch it because it really reads like a beautiful novel. It’s a great story and it’s told really well. I personally, like to take a little bit more time. You know what’s amazing? I must tell you, as an actor reading the scripts, when they come out and then seeing them on the screen is unlike other shows I’ve been involved in. They come out almost exactly like what I picture when I read these scenes. It’s fascinating. It jumps off the page and reads so easily off the page. 

Were you happy to see the Underwoods finally be stopped? Do you want to see more Hammerschmidt in season five? Voice your thoughts below in the comments section and stay tuned for The Live Feed for more House of Cards coverage. 

House of Cards

March 08, 2016 10:00am PT by Brian Porreca

 Courtesy of Netflix

“It was one of those things where it didn’t take any energy working on it,” the actor tells THR about making the quick transition from ‘Suicide Squad’ to ‘House of Cards.’ “I actually got energy from digging into the material.”

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from House of Cards’ fourth season.]

Sex appeal, youth, and family are all things missing from the life of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) in House of Cards’ fourth season. Sure, Underwood has been vocal throughout the series about not wanting kids, but the concoction of all three must sting when when rival Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman) steps onto the scene in the fourth season of the Netflix political drama as a new and formidable opponent in Frank’s quest to regain the White House.

Conway has the token wife named Hannah (Dominique McElligott), he maneuvers his way into the lives of young voters with viral videos, social media and selfies, and he prances in the spotlight by landing magazine features. Underwood’s new nemesis challenges Frank, who realizes he may not actually be holding all the cards. what does Kinnaman think Underwood envies most about Conway? “His youth,” Kinnaman tells The Hollywood Reporter days after the release of season four.

Kinnaman’s return to TV, following his breakout role on The Killing, comes as the Swedish native prepares for the release of one of his biggest film projects yet: Suicide Squad. In the film, which hits theaters in August, Kinnaman plays military officer Rick Flag alongside a cast that includes Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie, among others. 

Kinnaman spoke with THR about why he was “concerned” about signing on for House of Cards after Suicide Squad, “sparring match” scenes with Spacey and a fifth season encore.

Will is about making videos, taking selfies, and using social media to appeal to his voters. How do you think his character reflects the current presidential candidates in the real life election where they’re active on Twitter and Snapchat?

This election is just crazy, more unpredictable than anyone could have imagined. What we’re portraying in this show with social media playing a bigger part to appeal to a younger demographic in the way he’s promoting himself and what they both have in common is what previously kind of was perceived as something that was beneath a presidential candidacy. I think this presidential campaign we’re seeing especially on the Republican side, there’s very few things left that we ever thought we were going to see in a presidential election. After we seen a presidential candidate implying how big his dick is, I think there’s not much left for shock value. 

Do you think there are parallels with your character and any of the candidates? Or any other characters?

I think there are more parallels with Donald Trump and [former Prime Minister of Italy] Silvio Berlusconi than anyone else. He’s just his own entity because he’s just a reality star that’s now a presidential candidate. In the ways that Will is using social media, I mean all the candidates use Twitter, but Trump uses it more. 

Your addition to the show was pretty tight-lipped. What were the logistics to you joining the series?

It’s like anything when you go into a project, you have to follow the lead of the production and the publicity side of that and how they want to promote it. As many things as I’ve done before, you go into it and you keep it quiet and under wraps and sort of leak the information when everybody feels it’s the right timing. It was an amazing experience with Kevin, and Robin [Wright] and particularly Beau Willimon who I just think is a brilliant, brilliant man. I just had a lot of fun working with the material and also coming to a set and a creative space where there were some pages that we got, but then it was all a creative process that I was invited to participate in and help create the character and give input. 

How did Beau bring you on to do the show?

He called my people up and asked if I wanted to be a part of it. Then we started talking about it and I made the decision to join. 

What drew you to the role and to join the series?

I loved the show. I think it’s one of the best shows on television, if not the best, and I was a real fan of it, but it was definitely the character and the role. You know there are a lot of roles on phenomenal TV shows that I wouldn’t want to do anyway, but this was something that I thought was special and it was an opportunity to play with Kevin. It was a very fun character.

What scenes were your favorite to film?

I really enjoyed the scenes I had with Kevin. We had, during the Democratic Convention and the scenes we had in this little room — that was a lot of fun. Even though they would get spaced out over a whole episode it came down to a 15-page scene that we shot continuously. It was like we were doing a little mini-TV play, just me and him in that room. He’s such an amazing actor and this character is something he completely embodies. It was like a sparring match and I think we both really enjoyed ourselves in that. 

Where do you hope Will goes in season five?

We’ll just have to find out. I mean I have a contract for a few episodes, but we’ll see what happens. 

What is the draw for mostly film actors to join a series like this?

That divide that existed before is pretty much eradicated and much of the quality writing that’s done now is in TV. The daunting thing about doing TV is you’re starting a new series where you might end up doing six seasons or something and that’s not something many people want to do to be locked in like that. But going in and doing one season of a show pretty much takes the same amount of time as doing a big-budget film, like six months. And just the opportunity to create a really complicated character is even greater on a TV show when you have a 13-episode arc and you can really make something interesting and special. And I think these formats like True Detective and Fargo where the show goes on but the cast reboots, those are really attractive. The writing is very good and you go in and get to do a very interesting character and a well-written show. It’s almost like in Sweden where I grew up, it’s always been a bounce back and forth between the theater and film and TV. You go back to the theater to reconnect with your craft and just doing more complicated stuff that’s a little bit more demanding. It’s a healthy thing to go back and forth between the mediums where it demands something different from you. That’s something I’ll definitely be doing, going back back and forth between film and TV.

Did production for Suicide Squad interfere at all?

We were able to work it out… I was promised five weeks in between productions, but then that shrunk to like six days or something so it was really jumping from one to the next. I was a little concerned right when I started out cause I was pretty drained after Suicide Squad and I had done a movie just before that as well so I was coming off of eight months of shooting very intense stuff. So I was a little concerned, “Would I have time to recharge my batteries?” But when I came into House of Cards; it was just the writing was so good. It just fits well into your mouth and it’s so fun to rehearse it. It was one of those things where it didn’t take any energy working on it I actually got energy from digging into the material. I just found myself at home or in my hotel room rehearsing and just truly enjoying myself. And it’s been a while where the text has been so good and it really made me want to go back to the stage. That was the big feeling, my takeaway after working on House of Cards. It really made me want to go back to theater.

Well, Beau’s reportedly working on a play. Are you going to join him?

We actually spoke about it and I would love that. He’s one of the best writers in this country and he really has an amazing sense of both story and dialog and character. He’s a stone cold genius that guy. 

You only had a six-day break between Suicide Squad and House of Cards. How did you celebrate when both were wrapped?

I went back to Sweden to see my family and then I went back to Cuba. 

The end of this season, after the story comes out about Frank, Will is convinced he’ll be the next president and tells his wife she’s going to be the next first lady. And then after that, Frank announces total war. Do you see a world where he would recruit the likes of the Suicide Squad?

(Laughs.) Yeah, I’m sure he’d be open to that.

Could the Suicide Squad take him down?

Yeah, f— it Rick Flag could take Underwood down without a doubt. Hell yeah.

Because Will Conway can’t.

Yeah, exactly. Well, we’ll see about that, we’ll see about that…

Who’s more powerful Frank and Claire or the Suicide Squad?

Suicide Squad. (Laughs.) 

House of Cards

March 07, 2016 12:00pm PT by Brian Porreca

 Courtesy of Netflix

Nathan Darrow opens up to THR about his character’s fate, “In Meechum that’s the end he wants. He wants to give himself.”

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from House of Cards‘ fourth season.]

In the world of tight-lipped, real-life secret service agents, no one really knows what they’re truly thinking. Luckily for House of Cards fans, show creator Beau Willimon pulled the curtain back on that hidden side of politics by creating Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow), protector of fictitious president Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey).

The character has served Frank and first lady Claire Underwood both professionally and personally. While some characters on the show may think they know the couple’s secrets, Meechum may be the only one who really does. From a threesome with the pair, to taking a bullet for the president, Meechum has had an undeniable attachment to the Underwoods.

In the wake of his eventful fourth season, Darrow opens up to The Hollywood Reporter about the root of Meechum’s loyalty, Frank’s “affection” for Meechum and what the scenario would be like for the silent secret service agent back to the screen.  

Audiences have known Meechum to be rather serious, but in this season, we saw him drink and laugh a bit with Frank. How was it expanding his character?

It’s nice whenever he’s relaxed. There were a few moments before this season, but yeah he’s a serious fellow. I think what the writers did, which was really smart that — without having some kind of real, heavy handed reveal of something about him — they still allowed the character to light up a bit before he fell, which I thought was really done by them.

Seth was really gung-ho about blaming Meechum for the leaked photos. Do you think for a second Frank ever believed him?

That’s a good question. It’s really tough when… it’s kind of like we reap what we sew. Frank himself is so duplicitous that it’s like the poison of being duplicitous is… when your back’s against the wall you can start to believe that your closest confidante is out to get you. The play Richard III has a lot of these elements just like what happens to this guy at the end. But I remember doing it and I remember what was going on for Frank and Kevin, it’s almost like he’s so desperate that he has to entertain it as a possibility. That’s what’s so interesting about it, there’s something in Frank’s heart that’s not totally dead because he has this affection for Meechum where he can believe him.

Why has Meechum been so loyal to Frank?

It has to do mostly with his combat experience. If you remember from the first scene I tell Claire I was in the Korangal Valley in Afghanistan and if you know anything about that region and what went on there, the operation there — it was a very hot place. If you served there you were seriously under fire and you were in a circumstance where you completely, completely relied on those you were serving with and they relied on you. I feel like Meechum exits that situation and that’s what he missed. Of course you come back and you survive and that’s wonderful and you’re not in that terrible situation, but what you’re missing is a level of loyalty and intense connection with other people that you’re just not going to find as we drive around in our big cars and go to Target on the weekend and just live our lives as we live them here. And so I feel he was trying to attach himself to a powerful man, another powerful man who he could have that kind of, “You got my life, I got your life,” kind of thing.

Did Frank have Meechum’s life? Do you think it was a mutual loyalty?

I think from Meechum’s perspective, absolutely. He had it as much as anyone. He responded to who Meechum was and was willing to kind of promote him and take him into his protection in a way. But if push came to shove, I don’t know. 

Meechum took a bullet for him. 

It’s his job, that’s what he’s there to do. And that’s what he’s been wanting to do. The psychology is interesting. I’m sure he left people in Afghanistan in body bags. People that he served with, so that probably goes through your mind like, “No, that person should be me. That person should be alive.” In Meechum, that’s the end he wants. He wants to give himself. 

Obviously he cares for Frank. Do you think he was in love with him?

Well, you know that’s a big word… I think he had a wish to be close with Frank and also with Claire that was kind of singular and was involved all of him. It involved his heart, but also his body. I don’t know what you call that, it wasn’t like mature love or romantic love.

Stamper cares for Frank. Claire does. Do you think someone other than Meechum would have taken a bullet for him?

Wow, yeah… that’s a very tough question. You would have to ask those fictional characters. (Laughs.) It’s hard to say. In the particular situation, mind you, I don’t think that anyone other than a secret service agent probably would do what Meechum did because Meechum has the training. He had the kind of muscle reaction and that was in him always to be ready to do that whereas any person wouldn’t necessarily… The only other image I could think of is like a mother and their child. A mother would have some kind of instinctual… be able to immediately go to protect, but I think anyone else would just be shocked and confused about how that whole thing went down. 

Were you upset he was killed off?

It’s tough to leave something you’ve been involved in. There’s the practical thing of being an actor where the job ends, but we’re always doing that. Jobs are always ending, and you’re going on to something else. But mostly I thought that it was the right way to complete his story.

How did you find out about your character’s fate?

Beau gave me a call maybe a few weeks before we were going to get back together and work on the fourth season and he told me how the story was going to be. I just dropped to my knees and begged him, “Please, please, no, no, no, no, no, no no.” (Laughs.) No, I took it in and thank God it’s make believe. 

As this season is your last, it is also Beau’s. What was it like working with him throughout?

Beau’s very talented, intelligent and a sensitive storyteller. I can’t wait to see what he’s up to next. 

How do you think new showrunners Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese will continue the series?

They all seem to be like they were working as a good organ in that the scripts weren’t always the same, but they were all in the lane of what we were doing. I expect it to continue to be of really good quality, surprising, and satisfying. 

Meechum’s scenes are mostly with Frank and Claire. During your time on the show, was there anyone you wish you filmed more with?

Yeah, I liked where there was a little bit of a dynamic with Yates cause Yates in season three was really moving into the position I wanted to be in. I guess they kind of had that in there though, they had our little stuff. 

Looking back from your time on the show, what was your favorite part?

I really liked working with Robin when she was also directing. That was really fun because she’s really good at it and because she knows what goes into the job she’s sort of especially dedicated and really keen with actors. I would say that’s really up there. 

You do or don’t know what happens the rest of the season? I don’t want to spoil it for you…

No, no you’d be spoiling it for me! I’m just a civilian, man, I don’t know what happens. Who else dies? There’s more deaths, right?

Say the show brought Meechum back as a ghost or in some other capacity. What would the ideal situation be for him to return?

We’d fast-forward to 10, 12 years, Frank is out of office and they’re dedicating his library in Gaffney… no, it wouldn’t be in Gaffney, but somewhere down there and Meechum is pushing his wheelchair. Am I literally a ghost? I haven’t come back to life? Well if I come back to life and it was all a dream or something then I’m still there pushing his wheelchair saying, “The car’s ready, sir.” If I’m a ghost, Lord then I can go anywhere maybe there’s some other attachment that he’d want. 

How did you react when Meechum died? Would you want the show to bring him back as a ghost or that it was all a dream? Discuss in the comments below and stay tuned to The Live Feed for all things House of Cards.

House of Cards