Netflix: House of Cards cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the Netflix political thriller

The political drama series, House of Cards, is one of the early shows that set the trend of binge-watching when it first premiered on Netflix in 2013. Based on Michael Dobbs’s novel and the British drama series of the same name, the narrative of the show follows the story of Frank Underwood, a dubious politician, and his ambitions.

Besides the tale of power and unhinged ambitions of the Underwoods, the show is also remembered for the performance of the ensemble cast, which includes acclaimed names of the industry, such as Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, and Kevin Spacey, among others.

Here’s the cast and character guide of Netflix’s House of Cards.

House of Cards cast and character guide

Kevin Spacey in House of Cards | Image via YouTube/Netflix

House of Cards is the first Netflix original show, which also gave us the ever-debating argument about whether Netflix’s ‘Tudum’ sound was inspired by Spacey’s character Frank Underwood’s desk-knocking scene. Other than the fan theories about the sound, the political thriller was among the top-rated shows when it premiered.

The six seasons of the show depicted the methods the Underwoods used to come to power. It showed us how the game of politics destroyed some characters and helped others.

Here’s the cast and character guide of House of Cards:

1) Robin Wright as Claire Underwood

Robin Wright played Claire, Frank’s wife, in the political thriller. Throughout the series, Wright’s character found herself in different political positions. From becoming the Second Lady of the US and giving up her NGO to becoming the first female president of the USA, her role is among the crucial ones. She is also the only character who appeared in all the episodes of the series.

The award-winning actress has appeared in numerous TV shows and films such as Forrest Gump and Wonder Woman, among many others. She is also part of the psychological thriller series The Girlfriend and has directed two episodes of the popular series Ozark.

2) Michael Kelly as Douglas Stamper

Other than Claire, the main character who helped Frank reach new heights in the Netflix series was Michael Kelly’s Doug, the White House Chief of Staff. He relentlessly helped in scheming with Frank to attain power, but this also harmed his own life.

From appearing as Agent Fuller in Now You See Me to playing the character of Steve Lombard in Man of Steel, Kelly has been part of several popular Hollywood movies. For TV shows, he has appeared in Law & Order and Criminal Minds, and was last seen in The Penguin.

3) Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood

Kevin Spacey’s Frank was the protagonist of the series for the first five seasons. The series follows his manipulative techniques through which he gains political power to become the President of the USA. From time to time, he breaks the fourth wall to address the audience and reveal his inner thoughts to them.

While a controversial figure right now in the industry, Spacey has been a huge part of the industry. From The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, and Superman Returns, to Baby Driver, he has appeared in numerous popular movies in the past.

4) Mahershala Ali as Remy Danton

Another popular actor who appeared in the Netflix series is Mahershala Ali, who played Remy Danton. A lawyer and lobbyist who became the Chief of Staff for Frank and appeared until Season 4. Even with limited screen presence, he shone through with his acting.

The Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in films such as Green Book and Moonlight, and TV shows such as True Detective and Luke Cage.

5) Kate Mara as Zoe Barnes

Mara’s character Zoe was also an important part of the Netflix series. She was a reporter who was in a relationship with Frank and was also used by him to leak political stories to control the narrative and politicians.

Films such as Iron Man 2 and Brokeback Mountain, to TV shows such as American Horror Story and Black Mirror, are among the popular projects in which the American actress has appeared.

6) Rachel Brosnahan as Rachel Posner

Rachel Brosnahan is now among the most popular actresses due to her appearance in Prime Video’s popular comedy series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and James Gunn’s Superman, where she played Lois Lane.

In House of Cards, Brosnahan played the character of a prostitute who had a huge impact on Doug’s life.

7) Corey Stoll as Peter Russo

Stoll’s Peter is among the characters who were blackmailed to work for Frank, and one of the few characters that the latter killed.

Stoll has appeared in films such as The Many Saints of Newark and West Side Story. He has also appeared in TV shows such as The Deuce.

8) Derek Cecil as Seth Grayson

Dereck Cecil's Seth, a political operative, becomes a huge part of Frank’s staff after finding his journal and the information about the dubious politician. This helps him become the press secretary when Frank becomes Vice President.

The American actor has also appeared in Grey’s Anatomy and Apple TV’s Lessons in Chemistry.