Claire defeats General Brockhart to become Vice but with neither Frank nor Conway able to muster enough votes to win the House, Claire becomes Acting President until the race is decided. And, in revisiting her filmography, it seems as if Robin Wrights career has culminated with this character, a character who stops for nothing and nobody, politically sedulous while also cinematically seductive. In the midst of this controversy, Claire fully breaks the fourth wall for the first time, directly addressing the audience and acknowledging that she's always known we've been there, but was ambivalent about our attention. LeAnn convinces the Underwoods to help rescue Aidan; but they really just wanted him back to they could kill him before he could reveal any more of their secrets. Calvin Coolidge 31. She was also the first woman to serve as Vice President. 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. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. [22] The new season plot had Frank dying offscreen, and Clairenow the presidentpublicly distancing herself from him, and privately calling him her "biggest regret". Adam Smith. Robin, like Claire, is finally climbing to the top. Grover Cleveland 25. [32], In the season finale, she urges Frank to humble himself before President Walker, with whom he has fallen out of favor, in order to complete the plan: "Cut out your heart and put it in his fucking hands. For the first time, Claire looked directly into the camera alongside Frank as her husband ominously declared, "We make the terror.". The House of Representatives did not choose a president but the Senate chose Claire Underwood as the 51st Vice President of the United States, which resulted in her being sworn in as the Acting President of the United States, until the House chooses a President. She was also the first woman to serve as Vice President. This is admiration equally applicable to Claire and Francis. During her tenure as First Lady, Claire became the Ambassador to the U.N., and bumped heads with Russian president Viktor Petrov, particularly regarding the freeing of Michael Corrigan in July 2015. She tires of being in a subordinate role to him, wanting to be "significant" in her own right, and decides that he is "not enough" for her. As Kathleen, Wright moves with purpose, and the camera pans as she exits her first scene, formally intimating that the audience visually savors her as much as Terrys Sean Penn does. Vice President Underwood, however, is also not without a conscience. The most skin we really see from Claire Underwood is when she opts for a wide neckline, such as in some of the looks above. When she fires half her staff at the non-profit Clean Water Initiative, Claire is ruthless and refreshing, albeit slightly bitter, like a Campari soda or a mouthful of vintage. Benjamin Harrison 24. explain techniques to give positive feedback and constructive criticism. Children: 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. But how did the Underwoods go from that united front to a disgraced Frank out of office and Claire stepping behind his desk? Frank Underwood(1987- d2017) Screenshot via Netflix. [18], Upon viewing a four-episode preview of season 2, Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter says the series "sells husband and wife power-at-all-costs couple Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Robin Wright) Underwood as a little too oily and reptilian for anyone's good. That twist came late . 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. She explained: "It was quite an honor to close out the show [as director]. "Frank" Underwood. Why did Frank Underwood resign? She even reached out to Megan Hennessey, a former marine who was also raped by McGinnis, and inspired her to become an activist. Whenever she confronts an adversary she spreads her legs squarely, her stance never wavering. While the House was a complete caos, Claire managed to convince a Democratic Senate to vote her as VP. As we begin to dive into House of Cards Season 5, we consider why it's Robin Wright's Claire Underwood who is making TV great again. Rose-Marie Avin University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire; M.V. How does Claire Underwood become vice president? Adam Galloway(1978-1979; 2013)Dalton McGinnis(1983-1984)Edward Meechum(2014-2016)Thomas Yates(2016-2017) Robin Wright wishes her House of Cards character, Claire Underwood, could have been elected as president legitimately on the Netflix hit show. In the interim Claire is sworn in as acting leader, and is faced with the prospect of working alongside Conway. She left Frank for a time in Season 1 and went to stay with Adam in New York. By this time, Claire and Yates have fallen in love, which complicates both their lives. Unlike the original character, however, Claire has her own storylines.[1]. Prior to this she served as the 51st Vice President of the United States. For the past three seasons she's been showing more and more signs of doubt over the moral sacrifices she's been taking to be who she is today. 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. At the thrillingly dark heart of House of Cards is the relationship between Claire and Frank Underwood, a dazzlingly effective power couple whose marriage often draws admiring . "I should've never made you president," Claire retorts. After leaving Frank, Claire goes back to Texas, where she has a tense reunion with her mother, who is dying of lymphoma. This culminated with her publicly shaming President Petrov on live TV over Corrigan's suicide. Claire Underwood spent five seasons acting as a behind-the-scenes partner in schemes and political machinations; she survived sexual assault; she had three abortions; having been made vice . Claire was sexually assaulted by a classmate, future General Dalton McGinnis, during her freshman year at Radcliffe. You don't get to become the most powerful couple in the world by playing nice. She and Frank scheme nightly over a cigarette, and together they maneuver their way into Walker's inner circle. Wright built a career out of catering to sentimentality before Claire cut that to the quick. She's the 47 th President of the United States, and the first female. Claire is the first female to assume both the office of Vice President and President of the United States. While she has previously had three abortions, her decision not to have children is perhaps something she second-guesses, as she has previously shown interest and affection towards Peter Russo's two children. After the death of Claire's mother, Cathy Durant released her delegates and ordered them to support Claire's bid for Vice President. Date of birth: Claire named LeAnn her Chief of Staff under the condition that she turn over everything she knew about Aidan; but when she did, Claire promptly fired LeAnn and the adviser's car was soon thereafter found driven off the road, with LeAnn presumed dead. Throughout the beginning, she helps make the campaign's focal point about the fear of ICO and how they can stop the threat. He believed that the real power lies somewhere beyond, and according to him the true power lies in the person who owns the White House and not the person who lives in it. Claire Underwood dominated the newest season of House of Cards, finally becoming the boss bitch she was always meant to be. Her late father was a major Texas Republican. Robin Wright as Claire Underwood in Netflix's "House of Cards." Her performance in season 4 earned her a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. [11] The Independent's Sarah Hughes echoes this description, saying Claire is so dedicated to the couple's schemes that it is clear she will execute them herself if Frank wavers. Martin Van Buren 9. 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. When the terrorist group Islamic Caliphate Organization (ICO) takes an American family hostage, Claire negotiates with their imprisoned leader, Yusuf Al Ahmadi (Farshad Farahat), who agrees to tell his followers to release the hostages. Assuming Russo was a dead man either way, the bill's failure actually helps Underwood by giving Russo more motive for suicide. Abraham Lincoln 17. [14][15] She encourages his vices while noting her disapproval of his weaknesses, saying: "My husband doesn't apologize even to me. Robin Wright regrets that her House of Cards character, Claire Underwood, was not legitimately elected to the presidency. This is why I love her ice. With Claires presidency already set up, the series easily killed off Frank off-screen, and Wright assumed the lead role in season 6. 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. At the same time, journalist Tom Hammerschmidt (Boris McGiver) publishes an investigative news story detailing Frank's crimes. HOUSE OF CARDS Season 6 "Death of Frank Underwood" Trailer (NEW 2018) Netflix Series HD 2018 - NetflixComedy, Kids, Family and Animated Film, Blockbuster, . When a truck carrying radioactive material goes missing, Acting President Claire is locked in an underground bunker, but Doug quickly uncovers that the entire thing was engineered by Brockhart as an attempted coup to remove the Underwoods from office. Theodore Roosevelt 27. The president uses every single female stereotype to her advantage, showing the world that the being the best leader is all about tact and strategy, regardless of what gender you are. Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) have been ruthless in brushing aside all detractors in. Claire Underwood is the main character in the sixth series of House of Cards having shared the title in the first five. The Donald tries to undermine the Queen. 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 . The Netflix series was never meant to provide good representation of female leaders, or really, good representation of anybody. Claire is indeed a political animal, but not to the extent of the Machiavellian Frank. The fictional FLOTUS, played by 49-year-old actress Robin Wright, prances around in four-inch heels for upwards of 20 hours a day. Hannah Bonner is a MA Film Studies student in the Department of Cinematic Arts at The University of Iowa. [41] He attacks her with a letter opener, superficially wounding her in the throat, but cannot bring himself to kill her, instead collapsing into her arms. She sees that Frank has burned a hole into the American flag in the Oval Office, and breaks the fourth wall, saying: "My turn.". Unknown date in 1965 She wears stilettos, never flats. Robin Wright delivers a delicious performance in "Chapter 71," as Claire reveals to a stunned Doug (Michael Kelly) that she's pregnant with an heir to the Underwood estate. When Stamper confronts her about what Frank left him in his will, Claire says that she is pregnant with Frank's child. When Frank recovers from surgery, he agrees to let Claire be his vice president. Netflix acquiesced. Sensing that Frank is too. She then converts the focus on that issue into political support that becomes critical to the Underwoods' ascension to the Oval Office. Mother: Since Russo dies within 48 hours, which seems to be precisely timed by Underwood, the bill doesn't seem to make a difference. As Frank, evicted from the White House, watches Claire's first televised address, he's horrified to realize she's gone back on her word, refusing to issue his desired pardon. . She doesn't want to be coddled and held on a pedestal and mentions that Frank was the only man she dated that understood that. Claire's main storyline in season 2 is her advocacy, as Second Lady, for a sexual assault prevention bill. In House of Cards season 1, Claire often serves more as a background or secondary character to her husband she reveals nothing and everything, translucent and opaque as air. Yet as it continues, the show increasingly trends toward Claires quotable quips, political (and sexual) appetites, and complete command of the Oval Office, with (or in spite of) the presidents blessings. See why some of your favorite . Ambassador to the United Nations. Katie Holmes almost quit acting at the age of 17 when work dried up after her first film role. [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. Claire invites him to Usher's home, and poisons him. Religion: 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. As a result, Claire became Acting President of the United States as a temporary . House of Cards was hugely successful as well as critically acclaimed, racking up 33 Emmy Award nominations in its six-season run. 'male ego' (as Claire calls it). All eyes have been on the President since Claire. "[29][30][31] Claire also manipulates First Lady Patricia Walker (Joanna Going) into believing that her husband is having an affair in order to distract President Walker from Frank's machinations. Thomas Jefferson 4. She understands her precarious position even . Because Claire Underwood and Leann Harvey were behind the KKK billboard, and their tactics might just be enough to break the President. [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]. "Chapter 73" Claire earned her bachelor's degree in environmental health and chemistry at Radcliffe College and her master's degree in public health at Harvard University. Around this time, Claire agrees to an open election in Ohio for not only the President, but also the Vice President, in order to avoid a possible Conway-Underwood administration. 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. Three of its web series, Arrested Development, Hemlock Grove, and House of Cards, earned nominations. 58 There's a lot to be said for the journey of First Lady Claire Underwood ( Robin Wright) over the course of House of Cards ' fifth season. However, she has shown to have some guilt and sadness with her ruthless pragmatism, which is demonstrated following her visit to a rape victim who becomes suicidal after Claire uses and discards her. Claire Underwood: "What should we serve the Walkers? Claire Hale Underwood was very close to her father; her mother even stating: "You got away with murder". In what may have been a deliberate dig and power-play, in the midst of aiming to end their affair, Zoe Barnes does refer to Frank as Francis. She and Frank then use the public sympathy from Elizabeth's death to win the nomination; they are now running mates. "[15] This gives a credibility to their symbiosis. Significant other(s): However, he sandbags her prospective candidacy by endorsing a political ally's daughter, in order to keep Claire focused on his campaign. [42] Despite suggestions to the contrary, Wright insists that the character is not based on Hillary Clinton. Before she can testify about her ordeal before Congress, however, Megan suffers a breakdown and attempts suicide. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts Residence(s): However, Claire does not announce that she is pardoning Frank in her first address to the nation as President. Age: . House of Card 's clothing designer Kemal Harris spoke of this. Luckily for the Underwoods, leaked audio of Conway having a meltdown and other leaks turn the result in their favor, and Frank and Claire are sworn in as President and Vice President. Claire of course drinks both beverages in equal measure, but she cottons to bourbon. Robin Wright Courtesy of Netflix. She leaves him in the season finale but comes back in the fourth season, treating their marriage as a purely political arrangement to further her own career. The 12th ammendment establishes that in this case, the Senate would pick the Vice-President and the House the President. Claire Underwood (ne Hale) is a fictional character in House of Cards, played by Robin Wright. On Election Day, Claire and Frank learn that they may lose because of low voter turnout. In order for the ruse to work, though, Frank will have to move out and make it seem like they're estranged. "[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." Frank acquires a recording of Conway verbally abusing a pilot, as well as a recording of Conway's running mate, General Ted Brockhart (Colm Feore), threatening to kill Frank, which Frank and Claire use to blackmail Conway's campaign manager Mark Usher (Campbell Scott) into helping them; they then release the tapes anyway. [48] Wright was again nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards and Best Actress Television Series Drama at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. The character is based on Elizabeth Urquhart, a character from the eponymous British miniseries from which the current series is derived. The actress, 44, landed her first gig acting in Ang Lee's 1997 film The Ice Storm but after wrapping . Netflix. [13], While Frank is Machiavellian, Claire presents a woman urging on her husband's assertion of power in the image of Lady Macbeth. The Underwoods leaked audio of Conway harassing a pilot, and convinced his campaign manager Mark Usher not to defend him. Claire has found refuge back in her home state of Texas, staying with her mother . Status: