When Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual assault, Netflix opted to press ahead with a sixth and final season of their political drama, with Spacey removed from proceedings and Robin Wright stepping into the lead role. Frank Underwood is out, and Claire Underwood will be the centre of the show. And now, Wright has been talking about this turn of events.

Wright was asked, in an interview with The Today Show which has shown up online in chunks, whether she thinks Netflix was right to back off from Spacey when those allegations came to light.

“I don’t know how to comment on that,” the actress said. “But I think at that time, the shock was so intense all over the nation for many reasons. I think that everybody felt it was respectful to back off.”

Wright added, “I think we were all surprised, of course, and ultimately saddened. We forged ahead and we were so thankful we were able to complete the series as planned.”

Wright was then asked if there was anything in her years of working with Spacey that made her think that this sort of disgrace would be possible for the actor. She responded by saying this:

“We were co-workers – we never socialised outside of work. Professional, respectful relationship. He was so great with me. Never disrespectful to me. That’s my personal experience. That is the only thing I feel I have the right to talk about.”

Wright also said this about Spacey, expanding on how she didn’t really feel like she knew him outside of a working context:

“Kevin and I knew each other between action and cut, and in between set-ups where we would giggle. I didn’t really – I didn’t know the man. I knew the incredible craftsman that he is.”

It sounds like the rest of the cast really appreciate the part that Wright played in keeping House Of Cards going. Patricia Clarkson – who plays Jane Davis in the show – has publically praised Wright for “rallying” to the save the series, which saved a lot of people from losing their jobs.

Clarkson said this to The Talk:

“It was truly the great Robin Wright rallying. We have beautiful showrunners, Frank [Pugliese] and Melissa [James Gibson], and they killed themselves to rethink the whole show. It’s only eight episodes. Robin led all of this charge so that people would save their livelihoods because when the show goes away some people don’t get paid. I think it’s gonna be a stunning, stunning new season.”

And she also said this to People:

“Robin has done a great thing in not letting the show fall apart, saying let’s rethink it. Let’s think of the crew, let’s think of the crew’s families and everybody involved and let’s go out on a higher note and she’s gonna lead it, it’s just eight episodes… it’s going to be some wing-dingy stuff.”

House Of Cards season 6 is expected to arrive on Netflix towards the end of this year, and it sounds like we have Robin Wright to thank for that.

We’ll keep you posted as we hear more.