CLOSING IN ON FRANK
Double murders traced to the White House
TOM Hammerschmidt ( Boris McGiver, below) the editor-in-chief of the fictitious Washington Herald, has been trying to connect President Frank Underwood to the murder of journalist Zoe Barnes ( Kate Mara) and/ or the disappearance of prostitute Rachel Posner ( Rachel Brosnahan) for years. The trails, which went cold, heat up again this season, the fifth of “House of Cards” when Hammerschmidt, the lone wolf from the beleaguered Fourth Estate, gains access to key information. McGiver is the son of veteran actor John McGiver, who was always away from home when Boris was young, taking any job to support his 10 children. McGiver, 55, talks about what to expect in the upcoming season.
Frank’s been very good at covering his tracks. How does Tom get himhim inin the crosshairs again?
There’s a rise in the frustration factor at first, but then he connects thehe dots properly. There are two more murders. Hammerschmidt latches onto Zoe’s story because he has a more personal connection to her. There was a father-daughter connection there. He could have been a less harsh with her. She was being used.
Have you ever been a journalist?
I don’t have that kind of assiduousness, that dedication. But when we did the first five episodes of the show, [director] David
Fincher filmed in the Baltimore Sun building. He let us find our own desks. It was Janine ( Constance Zimmer), Lucas ( Sebas
tian Arcelus), Zoe and myself. That was a really great and smart thing for him to do. On Hammerschmidt’s desk were pictures of my real wife and daughter. It was an amazing, grounding experience. Do you foresee a day when Tom nails Frank for the Zoe Barnes murder? I’m always looking for the subway to run me down. Doug Stamper ( Michael Kelly) and I have a couple of scenes. We go toeto-toe in the last two episodes. I put a lot more on Doug and then I think I’ve lost the scent. He gets to be very honest and I don’t believe it. A lot of people disappear this year. Some of it is wonderfully shocking. Your father had a long career. What are your favorite roles of his? “Midnight Cowboy.” My father plays Joe Buck’s first trick. He tells him to pray. It’s crazy. And “The Manchurian Candidate.” He was closer to himself [in that]; he played Angela Lansbury’s nemesis. He was shot to death through a milk carton by Laurence Harvey.