In light of the accusations of sexual misconduct against Kevin Spacey, the production on Season 6 of House of Cards has been suspended indefinitely.
On Tuesday, Netflix and MRC released a joint statement to announce the halt on production.
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“MRC and Netflix have decided to suspend production on House of Cards season six, until further notice, to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew,” the statement read, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
On Monday, executives from both companies arrived in Baltimore, where the sixth and final season of the show is being filmed, in order to meet with the cast and crew of the political drama. Netflix and MRC wanted to “ensure that [the cast and crew] feel safe and supported,” the statement continued.
The suspension of the show comes two days after Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made sexual advances towards him when he was 14 and the Oscar-winning star was 26.
Shortly thereafter, Spacey penned a statement that he posted on Twitter in which he offered his “sincerest apology” to Rapp.
“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I’m beyond horrified to hear his story,” Spacey wrote. “I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”
In his statement, Spacey also set the record straight regarding his sexuality. The 58-year-old actor explained that he is now living as a “gay man.”
“As those closest to me know, in my life, I have had relationships with both men and women,” Spacey said. “I have loved and had romantic relationships with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”
The decision to come out as gay in a statement addressing the sexual misconduct scandal was a move criticized by many in the LGBTQ community, as well as GLAAD.
Beau Willimon, the former House of Cards showrunner, spoke out on Monday about the sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey.
“Anthony Rapp’s story is deeply troubling,” Willimon said. “During the time I worked with Kevin Spacey on House of Cards, I neither witnessed nor was aware of any inappropriate behavior on set or off. That said, I take reports of such behavior seriously and this is no exception. I feel for Mr. Rapp and I support his courage.”
