Photo credit: Janet Donovan
No one seemed to mind that this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association events were not as celebrity heavy as in past years if you were at the PEOPLE/TIME event at the St. Regis where we were happy to give all the oxygen to Michael Kelly who plays Chief of Staff Douglas Semper to a fictional President Kevin Spacey in House of Cards.
Nick Schmitt, Jonathan Capehart, Michael Kelly and Jeremy Bernard
Hollywood on the Potomac was curious as to whether he was in real life a bit evil, a bit sentimental like his character; jokingly of course. “Personally I am a sentimental guy, but in the character am not,” he told us. “I just look at him as an incredibly efficient man doing a job he loves and does it by all means necessary.”
Kelly is also known for his roles in films such as Changeling, Dawn Of The Dead, Law Abiding Citizen, The Adjustment Bureau, Chronicle, and Now You See Me. He also appeared in the television miniseries Generation Kill and the Criminal Minds. That’s a lot of crime stuff, so naturally we kept a watchful eye on him as he hopped in the on display mini car.
Michael Kelly
So, who is your character in House of Cards most aligned with in real life we asked him. “I am not going there,” he said. No kidding, since he ran over his girlfriend in House of Cards. “I have looked at a lot of Chiefs of Staff for inspiration. I also got to speak to a very prominent Chief of Staff before I began the role of Doug Semper and learned about the everyday workings of the Chief of Staff; really, the more boring aspects.” As to why Kevin Spacey wasn’t here this year, he explained that he was holding a big panel in Los Angeles on Monday. “He’s amazing. He’s such a nice guy.” Kelly was a guest of Reuters this year. “I don’t know who is at my table this year,” he explained. “I always like to be surprised and you’re always going to meet someone interesting. Last year it was the Atlantic and the year before Bloomberg. It’s just such a treat to come here, I really mean it and not just saying it.”
Washington Post’s Lois Romano with Patrick Gavin
Patrick Gavin, who expressed issues with the weekend events in Nerd Prom, swore that the PEOPLE/TIME was the only event he was attending!
This year’s event was hosted by Joe Ripp, CEO Time, Inc.; Norman Pearlstine, EVP and Chief Content Officer, Time, Inc.; Jess Cagle, Editorial Director People; Nancy Gibbs, Editor of Time.
