Francis Joseph Underwood is a fictional character and the villain protagonist of the American adaptation of House of Cards, portrayed by Kevin Spacey. He is depicted as a ruthless politician who rises from United States House of Representatives majority whip to president of the United States through treachery, deception and murder. He is based on Francis Urquhart, the protagonist of the British novel and television series House of Cards, from which the American Netflix series is drawn. He is married to Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) and also had a sexual relationship with Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) in season 1. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot episode, "Chapter 1".

Underwood is from Gaffney, South Carolina. He graduated from The Sentinel (a fictionalized version of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina) in 1980 and, subsequently, Harvard Law School in 1984. Some of Underwood's dialogue throughout the series is presented in a direct address to the audience, a narrative technique that breaks the fourth wall. The character speaks with a Southern accent. During season 1, he is the Democratic majority whip in the United States House of Representatives. In season 2, he is the newly appointed vice president of the United States, before becoming president of the United States in the season finale.

Underwood has been described as conniving, Machiavellian, sociopathic, and a symbol of political corruption. Throughout the series, he manipulates and destroys several people, including those he calls friends, for his own ends. Among other crimes, he personally commits murder twice, signs off on another murder committed by a subordinate, orders the deaths of two former employees, critically injures a member of his cabinet to prevent her testifying against him, attempts to murder his wife, and indirectly allows the murder of a civilian for political ends.

While Spacey received positive reviews for his portrayal of Frank Underwood, the character itself has been criticized for its repetitive nature, as well as one-dimensionality. Spacey was one of the first three actors playing leading roles in web-television series to be nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Spacey has also been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, winning one, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards, including two cast nominations and including two wins, for his performances.

On November 3, 2017, following sexual assault claims made against Spacey, Netflix cut ties with the actor, putting the character's fate in question. In a teaser trailer for the sixth season of House of Cards, it is shown that Underwood died in 2017 and is now buried next to his father in South Carolina. The series finale reveals that his right-hand man, Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), poisoned him in order to stop him from killing Claire.

Background and description

Early life Francis J. Underwood was born on November 5, 1959, to Catherine and Calvin T. Underwood in Gaffney, South Carolina. He is an only child. He was raised in impoverished circumstances, with the threat of bank foreclosure on the farm they lived on. He entered The Sentinel, a military school in Charleston, South Carolina, loosely based on The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, in the fall of 1976. He graduated in 1980 and, despite having made poor grades, gained admittance into Harvard Law School. He received his J.D. degree from there in 1984. While at the Sentinel, he had a homosexual relationship with his roommate, Tim Corbet (David Andrews), which lasted until his first year of law school. Underwood was raised Christian and publicly pays lip service to religious faith, but privately holds God in complete contempt and considers Christianity a source of weakness.

Family Underwood's great-great-great-grandfather, Corporal Augustus Elijah Underwood, was a Confederate soldier who served in the 12th South Carolina Infantry Regiment of Samuel McGowan's Brigade at the Battle of Spotsylvania. He served at the Bloody Angle on May 12, 1864, during the Civil War and was killed by a bludgeon to the back of the head from his own regiment during the middle of the night. Underwood is fascinated by his ancestry, even though he dismisses the Confederacy as "weak" and their cause of preserving slavery "asinine". When Underwood falls into a coma following an assassination attempt, Augustus appears in several of his hallucinations. His great-great grandfather was two when Augustus was killed.

His father, Calvin T. Underwood, was a peach farmer in his home town of Gaffney who died at the age of 43 of a heart attack. The Underwoods lived in poverty, and nearly lost the farm when Frank was a child; to get a bank loan and avoid foreclosure, his father attended a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan, of which the bank manager was a member. Underwood speaks fondly of his father in public, but this is a political ploy; in his asides to the audience, Underwood describes his father as a weak man who accomplished nothing with his life. He even urinates on his father's grave in season 3. Despite disliking his father, however, Underwood was influenced by him. Calvin was an abusive alcoholic and caused his wife and son years of misery. Underwood has said that when he was 13, he walked in on his father putting a shotgun in his mouth. Calvin asked him to pull the trigger, which he refused to do. He has stated that his biggest regret is not killing his father when he had the chance.

Political career

South Carolina Legislature Underwood was elected at the age of 25 to the South Carolina State Senate as one of the youngest members in the state's legislative history after graduating from Harvard in 1984. He was re-elected to the state senate at 29 in 1988 for his second, and last, term as a State Senator.

House of Representatives Underwood was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990 as a Democratic representative for the 5th Congressional District of South Carolina, being sworn in on January 3, 1991. He won another 11 consecutive elections, winning his final term in 2012. He was elected Whip for the Democratic Party in 2005, serving as House Majority Whip between 2005 and 2013.

In 2005, Underwood was elected Majority Whip of the House Democratic caucus, a role he held until 2013. As Majority Whip, he was responsible for ensuring party discipline, counting votes, and coordinating legislative priorities between leadership and rank-and-file members. His tenure in this role was marked by a high degree of internal influence, as he played a central part in negotiating support for major legislative initiatives and managing intra-party divisions. He became known for his effectiveness in securing votes on contentious measures and for maintaining a tightly organized whip operation. This position significantly increased his visibility and influence within Congress, making him one of the most powerful figures in the chamber despite not holding a formal leadership title such as Speaker.

Vice Presidency Following the 2012 presidential election, Underwood was initially considered for the position of Secretary of State in the administration of Garrett Walker, but was ultimately not selected. He continued serving in Congress until 2013, when Vice President Jim Matthews resigned to pursue the governorship of Pennsylvania. Underwood was nominated by President Walker to fill the vacancy and was subsequently confirmed by Congress. As Vice President, he occupied a constitutionally limited role but remained an active participant in executive branch strategy and legislative coordination. His prior experience in Congress allowed him to serve as a liaison between the White House and House leadership, maintaining influence over legislative affairs.

Presidency Underwood assumed the presidency in 2014 following the resignation of President Walker amid a widening political and legal crisis. His accession to office occurred without a direct presidential election, making the question of democratic legitimacy a recurring issue during his tenure. As President of the United States, he advanced a domestic policy agenda centered on employment and economic restructuring, most notably through the proposed “America Works” program. His administration also engaged in foreign policy initiatives and crisis management, although his governing style was often characterized by a highly centralized decision-making process within the executive branch.

2016 election In 2016, Underwood sought to secure a full term in office through the electoral process, running as the Democratic nominee with Vice President Claire Underwood as his running mate. He faced Republican nominee Will Conway in a closely contested and highly polarized campaign. The election was marked by disputes over voting procedures, allegations of irregularities, and legal challenges in several key states. Despite the contentious environment, Underwood ultimately secured victory, thereby obtaining an elected mandate to continue in office.

Later presidency and resignation During his elected term, Underwood's administration encountered increasing scrutiny from Congress, federal authorities, and the press regarding allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, and obstruction. Investigations intensified over time, contributing to a decline in political support both within his party and among the public. As the prospect of impeachment proceedings became more likely, pressure mounted on the administration. In 2017, Underwood resigned from the presidency, bringing his tenure to an end. He was succeeded by Vice President Claire Underwood, who assumed office in accordance with constitutional procedures.

Personal life

Personality Underwood is utterly ruthless and Machiavellian, and is willing to commit any crime, including murder, to further his goal of attaining power. Many critics have described him as a sociopath and as "pure evil".

Often, Underwood's thoughts throughout the series are presented in a direct address to the audience, a narrative technique known as breaking the fourth wall. Immediately prior to starring in House of Cards, Spacey had starred in a production of William Shakespeare's Richard III as Richard III of England, a character that serves as a partial basis for both Urquhart and Underwood. His last name is derived from Oscar Underwood, who served as the first Democratic House Minority Whip from about 1900 to 1901. His few vices include smoking cigarettes and playing video games; when the Secret Service cuts off his online gaming service after he becomes vice president, he takes up creating model figurines.

Spacey viewed portraying Underwood for a second season as a continuing learning process. "There is so much I don't know about Francis, so much that I'm learning... I've always thought that the profession closest to that of an actor is being a detective... We are given clues by writers... Then you lay them all out and try to make them come alive as a character who's complex and surprising, maybe even to yourself."

According to Time television critic James Poniewozik, by the end of the first episode, it becomes clear that Underwood both literally and figuratively uses meat as his metaphor of choice. He may begin a day with a celebratory rack of ribs, because "I'm feelin' hungry today!", and he depicts his life with meat metaphors. For example, he describes the White House Chief of Staff with grudging admiration: "She's as tough as a two-dollar steak" and plans to destroy an enemy the way "you devour a whale. One bite at a time". He also endures a tedious weekly meeting with House leaders, as he tells the audience, by "[imagining] their lightly salted faces frying in a skillet."