Spacey: Frank Underwood would appreciate US campaign

DAVOS, Switzerland – Frank Underwood would find the U.S. electoral campaign “amusing,” says Kevin Spacey, who plays the ruthless politician in the TV show “House of Cards.”

Bringing his star power to the CEO-packed World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Spacey told participants on Friday: “I think in the first place that Donald Trump…. uh, sorry, that Frank Underwood…” before getting drowned out in laughs.

“I think Frank Underwood would look at this particular year and find it as amusing as I do,” he said.

The American actor’s appearance drew some of the largest interest so far at the Davos event, with long queues of high-power business executives hoping to attend his closed-door event, which focused on the theatricality of American politics and his career.

Spacey said, on a sombre note, that Trump’s campaign reminds him of that of George Wallace, the populist Alabama governor who favoured racial segregation, in 1968. Trump has made some controversial comments during his campaign, for example saying he would favour banning some Muslims from entering the U.S.

“It’s exactly the same campaign. I mean, exactly the same,” Spacey said.

The Oscar-winning artist also got personal, talking about how meeting actor Jack Lemmon at the age of 13 inspired him to take up his profession — and how he hoped to have the same effect on young people.