'House of Cards' Maryland Production Delayed For 2 More Weeks

BALTIMORE, MD — Maryland production on the popular Netflix show "House of Cards" will remain suspended for another two weeks as creators continue to deal with the aftermath of sexual assault allegations against its former star, Kevin Spacey. In an email made public by BuzzFeed, Media Rights Capital executive Pauline Micelli said cast and crew members will be paid an additional two-week leave, and receive an update on Dec. 8.

Micelli said the company will "continue to work with Netflix with the hope of resuming production soon." The production of the award-winning show was suspended as several people said they were victims of Spacey who sexually abused them. The claims were made public after actor Anthony Rapp said the award-winning actor assaulted him when he was just 14 years old. Spacey was then fired from the show.

In the email, Micelli said the production will be suspended until Dec. 8.

"In addition to the writers, there will be a small contingency of office/accounting staff who will remain in the production office on a continuous basis," Micelli wrote. "Our hope is that the entire crew will be able to reconvene when production resumes, but we want you to know that we will certainly understand if crew members need to find other work in the interim, which will prevent them from re-joining us. We sincerely appreciate all you have done."

A production crew of between 250 and 300 people has worked on the show, which has filmed in Harford County, Towson and elsewhere in the Baltimore area, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Micelli went on to write that the "last two months have tested and tried all of us in ways none of us could have forseen. The one thing we have learned throughout this process is that this production is bigger than just one person and we could not be more proud to be associated with one of the most loyal and talented production cast and crews in this business."

Spacey will likely be written out of the show for the final season, says The Hollywood Reporter. This season had already been announced as the last for the political drama even before the allegations came to light against Spacey.

Producers have been filming the political drama in Harford County, north of Baltimore, since the show began in 2012. "House of Cards" operates a sound stage based out of a warehouse in Joppa and has used local sites to film various scenes including Harford Community College, the Havre de Grace Library, Liriodendron Mansion and a Level Road antique store, among others.

Filming has taken place traditionally in summer and fall, with the show being released in the first quarter of the year.

Spacey, 58, has won a Golden Globe for his role playing Frank Underwood in the show. He's also won Academy Awards for his leading role in "American Beauty" and supporting role in "The Usual Suspects."
Spacey has said few words since the allegations, but did issue an apology to Rapp via Twitter.

In an exclusive interview with Patch, Spacey's brother, Randy Fowler described a childhood filled with abuse from their father.

--Photo: Kevin Spacey presents the award for excellence in television at the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)