Hoping to direct films: Robin Wright

Known for portraying Claire Underwood in the American political thriller series "House Of Cards", actress Robin Wright says she is focussing on directing films after the show's finale.

Wright, 52, was in conversation with Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos at a session during the streaming giant's 'See What's Next: Asia' event here on Thursday.

"I am really focusing on directing solely. (I am) Thinking of putting acting on the side for a little bit and hoping to direct films," Wright said, when asked about what she is focusing on next.

The pilot episodes of the "House Of Cards" were directed by filmmaker David Fincher, but Wright has also gone behind the camera for it.

The Golden Globe Award winner says she feels thankful.

"Thankful... That's how I feel and resonate that I got to explore in a forum which is so limiting as a director, because on the show we have a particular style that David Fincher created and you can't use certain lenses or certain colours like the colour red. It was great having those restrictions because you had to work within the frame," she said.

Wright described it as a great challenge. She even labelled her journey with the "House of Cards" as a "six-year-long movie".

"So, to be able to be given the opportunity to direct and learn how to direct on a show that is your family, was an incredible experience for which I am grateful for because there was such safety," she added.

Reminiscing about being approached initially for the show by Fincher, Wright said she had declined the offer, but the filmmaker convinced her to be a part of the "revolution".

"When David Fincher proposed the idea to me, he said 'Do you want to do a television show?' and I said, 'No, I don't' because I had been on soap operas for many years when I was younger and I had just thought I want to be in films and they were two separate entities in 2013 still... And he basically educated me to say 'Yes, you can and this is going to be a new movement'.

"This new structure that Netflix is getting behind. And he said, 'Don't you want to be a part of a revolution?' I was like 'yeah'."

Wright, who plays First Lady in "House of Cards", will turn into President for the show's finale season.

She says she is always surprised "to know how many people know 'House Of Cards'".

The sixth and final season of "House of Cards" currently streams on Netflix.

(Durga Chakravarty is in Singapore on an invitation by Netflix. She can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)

--IANS

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