Following his departure from the YouTube Christmas wish videos in 2021 and 2022, Kevin Spacey has returned to the platform in 2018, beginning an annual ritual. Spacey, who plays Frank Underwood on “House of Cards,” chose a different approach this year than his previous ones: he received an interview by Tucker Carlson. Spacey (speaking in Underwood’s unique Southern drawl) informed Carlson in the seven-minute footage that he thinks Netflix “exists because of me,” alluding to the initial popularity “House of Cards” delivered to the streaming service.
“I put them on the map and they tried to put me in the ground,” replied Spacey. Additionally, he described it as “bizarre” that Netflix severed their relationship with him due to “allegations alone,” but he went on to say that the claims have been “proven false.” In 2017, Spacey was fired from “House of Cards” following multiple accusations of sexual misbehavior. In a trial held in the United Kingdom in July 2023, a jury ruled Spacey not guilty on all 12 charges of sexual abuse. He prevailed in a $40 million civil claim brought in 2022 by actor Anthony Rapp, who had accused Spacey of sexual assault and harassment in 1986. Business Insider reached out to Netflix for clarification, but they did not answer.
Spacey and Carlson, who were both dismissed from their previous stations (Carlson from Fox in April 2023), struck into a conversation about it in the video. Spacey remarked, “Here we are, Tucker, bigger than ever,” while proposing Carlson to be Underwood’s vice president in his (fake) 2024 candidature. Spacey, who was still ostensibly in character as Underwood, though the boundaries started to fade was questioned by Carlson, who has previously criticised legacy media, whether he believed that legacy media was to blame for what had happened to him.
Carlson also inquired as to when Spacey or Underwood would resume work. In response, Spacey said that the interview was “a little bit” of realism combined with an episode and that this video was just starting point. “I will play whatever role the public wants me to play,” he stated.