3. The Crew
From the title image on this articles first page, you may have gathered that House of Cards features two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey in the lead role. One of the finest actors in the world, Spacey delivers a typically excellent performance as Frank Underwood, which is examined in detail on the next page. Pulling double duty in a production capacity, he is just one of many talented individuals involved in the shows creative process. Chief amongst these is producer and director of two episodes, David Fincher, one of the best directors yet to have won an Oscar, despite an impressive CV that includes films such as Seven (which featured one of Spaceys finest ever performances), Fight Club, The Social Network, Zodiac and the American remake of Swedish sensation The Girl With Dragon Tattoo. Others who join him in the directors chair include Hollywoodlands Allen Coulter and two men with backgrounds in political films Glengarry Glen Ross James Foley and Joel Schumacher, whose hits included adaptations of John Grishams A Time To Kill and The Client before he committed career suicide with Batman and Robin. The writing team, meanwhile, draws heavily from HBOs talent pool but is led by playwright Beau Willimon, whos best known work is Farragut North, a political play retooled in the underrated George Clooney/Ryan Gosling vehicle The Ides Of March a few years back. His involvement in ten of the series thirteen episodes gives it a strong sense of continuity, whilst his experience in senatorial and presidential campaigns gives a sense of realism to the project. Other producers include Michael Dobbs, the former conservative MP whose novel was adapted into the original British series by Andrew Davies, who is also on board. Their inclusion pays homage to the shows inspiration and rounds off a well-balanced team of professionals behind the camera.