Frank Underwood has met his match: Russian diplomats at the United Nations.
The producers of Netflix’s hit political soap “House of Cards” recently requested to shoot interior scenes for two episodes of its third season at the UN, according to Foreign Policy. The UN’s press office approved the scripts, but a Russian diplomat named Mikael Agasandyan has put a hold on the production.
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“Upon thorough reflection, we are objecting to the proposed filming in the Security Council,” Agasandyan wrote to council members on Tuesday, shortly before the evening deadline to object. “We are of [the] opinion that the Security Council premises should be available at any time and on short notice. Besides that, we consistently insist that the Security Council premises are not an appropriate place for filming, staging, etc.”
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The decision to block production comes despite the UN Department of Public Information’s desire to open its doors to TV cameras in an effort to bolster the institution’s image, as well as assurances that the scenes — which would depict a meeting of the Security Council and behind-the-scenes discussion between ambassadors — would be shot late at night and on weekends.
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China was also uncertain of whether it would approve of “House of Cards” cameras in the UN Security Council. The show is massively popular in the country, but hasn’t always depicted the country’s government in the best light. Bo Shen, a political counsellor at the Chinese mission to the UN, suggested that the scripts must be approved of by all member nations, not just the press office.
Media Right Capital, who produces the series, declined comment to TheWrap. A request for comment from Netflix has not yet been not returned.