why is claire underwood acting president
The Shepherds try to undermine her by developing a voting app that would essentially steal the upcoming midterm elections; Claire retaliates by having Duncan, who created the app, arrested for treason. Sensing that Frank is too. "[17], Nancy deWolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal describes Claire as "a short-haired blonde who manages to be masculine and demasculinizing at the same time." 'male ego' (as Claire calls it). Wright's performance is described as "nuanced and compelling". In the meantime, Claire is sworn in as Acting President of the United States and begins to exert her limited power by excluding Frank from certain presidential functions, such as the swearing-in of the new Justice of the Supreme Court. Ambassador to the United Nations (2015) Second Lady of the United States (2013 - 2014) CEO of Clean Water Initiative (pre series - 2014) Birthplace: Wright is best known to audiences through crowd favorites, such as Buttercup in The Princess Bride(1987), Jenny in Forest Gump (1994), or Theresa in Message in a Bottle(1999). Claire Underwood (ne Hale) is a fictional character in House of Cards, played by Robin Wright. . Throughout the beginning, she helps make the campaign's focal point about the fear of ICO and how they can stop the threat. When Galloway leaks an intimate photo of Claire to appease his jealous fiance, Claire intimidates him into publicly stating that he fabricated the picture, ruining his reputation. Would she deliver it tonelessly, with heels crossed? Claire is formidable in ways her husband is still trying to channel: raising her voice to Francis and proclaiming he needs to cut [his] fucking heart out and give it to then-President Walker; stating that shes leaving Francis in the cliffhanger finale of season 3; and betraying Francis in season 4 in order to get what she wants the vice presidency. With Claires presidency already set up, the series easily killed off Frank off-screen, and Wright assumed the lead role in season 6. Her late father was a major Texas Republican. Knowing her husband was unlikely to win in the House, and fearing a Conway-Underwood White House, Claire ordered a revote in Ohio and Tennessee. ", "Claire's Fourth Wall Breaks In 'House of Cards' Season 6 Reveal She's Just As Cunning As Her Husband", "Claire Underwood's Pregnancy In 'House Of Cards' Season 6 Was The Ultimate Power Move", "Kevin Spacey's Leading-Man Problem The star of the 13-hour "House of Cards" is as impenetrable as ever", "House Of Cards Season 1, Episode 13 Recap: All's Well That Ends Well (Or Not)", "Review: 'House of Cards' returns for more political dirty deeds", "Second season of 'House of Cards' is a vote for vice", "Antihero Or Villain? Affiliation: This is admiration equally applicable to Claire and Francis. After the assassination attempt of her husband on March 17, 2016, Claire became an advocate for gun control, and helped pass a Gun Control Bill to Congress the following Summer. When Rosanna Arquette interviewed Wright in the documentary Searching for Debra Winger(2002), she marveled on how Wright balanced a successful career and family, gushing, Youre actually in a marriage that works and you work together its like, a dream.. Adam Galloway(1978-1979; 2013)Dalton McGinnis(1983-1984)Edward Meechum(2014-2016)Thomas Yates(2016-2017) In the ensuing open convention, they publicly endorse Secretary of State Catherine Durant (Jayne Atkinson) for the job, while working behind the scenes to undermine her and ensure that Claire wins enough delegates to be nominated. Claire eventually wins when Blythe issues a bill to block any filibuster in the Senate; while the House cannot reach a majority. Robin Wright Earlier in the season, Claire confessed to her lover Tom that Frank had killed Zoe Barnes way back at the beginning of Season 2. [25], By the end of the season, Walker appoints Frank the Vice President of the United States, making Claire the Second Lady of the United States.[26][27]. Claire is an . She shows remorse for her actions only once. The first thing the Underwoods had to make sure of was that Will Conway didn't beat them in the 2016 election. She was initially expected to announce a pardon of Frank Underwood but later changed her mind. [16], Willimon notes that "What's extraordinary about Frank and Claire is there is deep love and mutual respect, but the way they achieve this is by operating on a completely different set of rules than the rest of us typically do. Marital status: During Chapter 49, they are seen to engage in a relationship of a sexual nature. [12] He is not alone. March 11, 2015 Courtesy of Netflix. During the military gala where McGinnis was to be given an award for his military deeds, Claire tells Frank the story behind freshman year, to which he reacts furiously. Elizabeth Hale Season four picks up with the two still at odds, barely talking, let alone in the same room together. But how did she get there? Frank Underwood 6 seasons, 73 episodes William Henry Harrison 10. Why did Frank Underwood resign? Claire's icy blue dress matches her icy glare in this presidential portrait. One example was firing half of the CWI staff due to unavailability of funds after Frank was not made the Secretary of State. Wrights wish that Claire could have been elected legitimately is understandable, at the time House of Cards was airing, there was no example of a democratically elected female president (or VP) in real life. After the death of Claire's mother, Cathy Durant released her delegates and ordered them to support Claire's bid for Vice President. Children: The Netflix series was nearly derailed when accusations of sexual misconduct led to Spaceys firing. Lone StarSecret Service code name [24], Claire is the CEO of an environmental group while serving as her husband's primary accomplice. To clear the field of potential threats to her power, Claire has Durant, Davis and Hammerschmidt killed. Claire gives Frank the idea to declare war on ICO and allow the public to see the hostage die in order to distract from the scandal and create an atmosphere of widespread fear that they can exploit.[21]. With turnout looking worryingly low, they drummed up some fake terror threats in order to get the governors of a couple swing states to shut down the polls, resulting in a contested election. In the series finale, Claire arranges a meeting with Stamper, whom she suspects has been hired by the Shepherds to kill her. Gauche or yall dont trip so much as glide off her tongue, and Claire mirrors this aural movement in her body; shes mean, lean, and lithe she choreographs pouring wine, breaking a glass, and fetching bandages as if in a ballet. Andrew Jackson 8. Underwood's solution. Though each of these characters carries traces of Claire a penchant for cigarettes or exercise, the hauteur look of high-heeled ferocity it is on Netflix where Wright has come into filmic fruition as her character, charming us with her wit and wile. She also shared that she was initially hesitant to sign on to House of Cards, both because it was a television show and because she didnt want to play "a woman who's arm candy to a politician." She then converts the focus on that issue into political support that becomes critical to the Underwoods' ascension to the Oval Office. Openly, the Underwoods supported Secretary of State Catherine Durant, but behind closed doors, had small numbers of delegates vote for Claire, with the Underwoods dismissing it as "good fun". Zachary Taylor 13. [25] Frank says of Claire: "I love that woman, I love her more than sharks love blood. As he lies bleeding on the floor, she covers his mouth and suffocates him. Second Lady of the United States (2013 - 2014), First Lady of the United States (2014 - 2017), On March 15, 2017, following the resignation of President Frank Underwood, Claire Underwood became the, United States vice-presidential candidates, 2016, 47th and current President of the United States, "My husband doesn't apologize. Sykes BW, Underwood C, Greer R, McGowan CM, Mills PC The effects of dose and diet on the pharmacodynamics of . Her parents were referred to as being very wealthy and she has come from generations of ranchers. She is a lobbyist and runs an environmental nonprofit organization, but in later seasons ascends to the positions of Second Lady of the United States, First Lady of the United States, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Vice President of the United States, and finally the 47th President of the United States. Democratic House of Cards: Claire Underwood is sworn in as acting president In the interim, Claire is sworn in as acting leader while a second House vote is organised. In season 5, Claire's story begins as the opening scene of the season: shooting a propaganda commercial in order to stir up fear. [12] Following season 4, Robin Wright stated that she felt Claire Underwood was the equal of Frank Underwood and demanded equal pay for her performance. John Tyler 11. "Frank" Underwood. Film is a relatively new medium, so how much has it really changed? October 31, 2018, 4:30 PM. Robot's Rami Malek Sneaks In", "Emmys 2016: The Full List of Nominations", "Emmys 2017: The Full List of Nominations", "Robin Wright ('House of Cards') just became the first actress in 10 years to pull off this rare Emmy stat", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claire_Underwood&oldid=1131176051, Fictional first ladies of the United States, Fictional vice presidents of the United States, Fictional presidents of the United States, Fictional feminists and women's rights activists, Fictional characters who break the fourth wall, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using Infobox character with multiple unlabeled fields, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 22:51. She strides across the White House's slippery polished floors with ease, struts down hospital corridors back erect and stands upright in these veritable torture chambers while finger-poking the Russian president in . Name: Claire calmly admits what she did and proposes that she join him in the ticket as his vice president. Claire, in her new role as UN Ambassador, is trying to get Michael Corrigan, a gay-rights activist being held in a Russian prison, to take a plea that will ensure his freedom. At the 2016 Democratic Convention, there was no clear Vice Presidential candidate to complete the party ticket, so President Francis Underwood held an open convention for Vice President. LOS ANGELES (AP) The spirit of Francis Underwood and misdeeds past haunt the sixth season of "House of Cards" and its new U.S. president, the widowed Claire . When another of McGinnis' victims, Megan Hennessy (Libby Woodbridge), comes forward, Claire uses her as the poster girl for the sexual assault bill, leaving the fragile young woman open to public scrutiny and reprisals from the bill's opponents. [34][35], According to Drew Grant of The New York Observer, Claire's season-long storyline was similar to the real life efforts of United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's to legislate an end to military sexual assault. Francis Joseph Underwood is a fictional character and the villainous main protagonist of the American adaptation of House of Cards, portrayed by Kevin Spacey.He is depicted as a ruthless politician who rises from United States House of Representatives majority whip to president of the United States through treachery, deception and murder. [44] Among those nominations was Wright's portrayal of Claire Underwood for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series as well as Kevin Spacey's portrayal of Frank Underwood for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Jason Bateman's portrayal of Michael Bluth in Arrested Development for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, making these three roles the first three leading roles to be Primetime Emmy Award-nominated from a streaming television series. Robin Wright regrets that her House of Cards character, Claire Underwood, was not legitimately elected to the presidency. And when Frank realizes that Claire is upset not because only one of them. Claire Underwood dominated the newest season of House of Cards, finally becoming the boss bitch she was always meant to be. Nationality: How will those plans change with Kevin Spacey gone from the show? In season 3, she confronts Russian President Petrvo (Lars Mikkelsen) during a press conference for his intolerance of LGBTQ citizens, undercutting her husband's wishes while simultaneously. [22] The new season plot had Frank dying offscreen, and Clairenow the presidentpublicly distancing herself from him, and privately calling him her "biggest regret". For the plan to work, however, Claire must pardon Frank, which would damage her politically. During Frank's election campaign, Claire begins to question whether she still loves him. Its women like these that lead cultural critic Camille Paglia to claim that high heels dont cripple women, but serve as weapons. Sometimes directors realize halfway through that the star isn't right for the part, and sometimes actors get themselves fired for too much drama onand offset. [44] The role has also earned Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Television Series Drama award at the 71st Golden Globe Awards on January 12, 2014. Though Claire Underwood was silent in the House of Cards season 5 trailer, it is her presence that has become the narrative torque on which this show turns. Claire Hale (born 1965) is the 47th and current President of the United States, assuming office after the resignation of her husband Francis Underwood. In Season 3, Claire feels the need to be something more "significant" than the First Lady, and asks Frank to nominate her to a United Nations post. She can be just as cold and calculating as Frank, as demonstrated by her decisions to fire half of her staff as well as later betray Frank by helping to defeat an important bill. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 When Claire delivers her simple request in the promo video Message From the Underwood Administration, she entreats viewers to tell us what you see. So too in this medium close-up does the camera beckon,watch Claire. The anti politician's wife, she doesn't do passive smiles and hanging in the background: she's as ambitious, scheming, intelligent and power-hungry as her Machiavellian politician husband, Frank Underwood. Frank calls her repeatedly, but she forwards the calls. Yep, President Claire Underwood is preggers. Claire grabs the letter opener and stabs him in the stomach. [10] Hank Stuever of The Washington Post describes her as an "ice-queen wife". Therefore, Claire was born in 1965 with high certainty. Claire Hale Conclusions can be so deceiving. Last episode: However, Claire does not announce that she is pardoning Frank in her first address to the nation as President. Claire Hale When Frank recovers from surgery, he agrees to let Claire be his vice president. His only personal stake was Russo's success. Thomas Jefferson 4. The couple agreed not to have children, and in the finale of Season 1, it was revealed that Claire has had three abortions. [13], While Frank is Machiavellian, Claire presents a woman urging on her husband's assertion of power in the image of Lady Macbeth. Before she can testify about her ordeal before Congress, however, Megan suffers a breakdown and attempts suicide. With someone leaking information about Frank's misdeeds to the press, the President has no choice but to resign. The character is based on Elizabeth Urquhart, a character from the eponymous British miniseries from which the current series is derived. Through an interview in Season 2, it was revealed that Claire's rapist is now a General in the military, and Claire falsely claimed she had an abortion afterwards in order not to reveal to the public that she aborted Frank's child during his first campaign. [57], United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Television Series Drama, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, "David Fincher, Beau Willimon & Kate Mara On Netflix's 'House of Cards', "Unapologetically ruthless, Claire Underwood is the anti-heroine House of Cards needs post #MeToo", "Netflix fires Kevin Spacey from House of Cards", "Frank Underwood dead in final season of 'House of Cards', "Netflix show House of Cards has an unexpected link to North Texas", "Ellen Burstyn is a real mother on 'House of Cards', "Netflix Does Well in 2013 Primetime Emmy Nominations", "Netflix's Original Series House of Cards From David Fincher and Kevin Spacey May be the New Face of Television", "Robin Wright Demanded The Same Pay As Kevin Spacey For 'House of Cards', "Ostrow: Kevin Spacey shines in "House of Cards" political drama on Netflix", "Political Animals That Slither: 'House of Cards' on Netflix Stars Kevin Spacey", "Review: House of Cards Sinks Its Sharp Teeth into Washington", "Review: 'House of Cards' plays new hand with brutal, clear resolve", "Review: 'House of Cards,' The Complete Fourth Season for Binge Viewers (Spoilers)", "House of Cards season 6: How was House of Cards supposed to end before Kevin Spacey left? 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