Kevin Spacey’s dispute with House of Cards producer and distributor Media Rights Capital (MRC) began with a confidential contract arbitration, not the separate UK civil claims against him. MRC’s court filing said an arbitrator awarded it more than $30 million in 2020; a judge confirmed that award in 2022. A later legal account reports that Spacey and MRC agreed in December 2023 to reduce the obligation to $1 million, and that the award was vacated in April 2026 under their agreement.
Who settled the House of Cards arbitration?
The parties were Kevin Spacey and MRC, the companies behind House of Cards. MRC’s petition identified Knight Takes King Productions as the producer and MRC II Distribution as the distributor. Spacey starred for five seasons as Frank Underwood. The arbitration concerned contractual obligations associated with his work on the show, including professional-conduct requirements and MRC’s harassment policy, according to MRC’s court filing.
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This was a private JAMS contract arbitration. It was not a criminal prosecution, and the arbitrator’s findings should not be described as criminal convictions. The public account of the findings comes from MRC’s petition to confirm the award, rather than a public transcript of the confidential arbitration.
How did the original award exceed $30 million?
The arbitration and production changes
MRC’s 2021 petition said the case involved more than 20 depositions and an eight-day evidentiary hearing. It reported that the arbitrator issued a final award for MRC on October 19, 2020, finding that Spacey had breached contractual duties relating to professional conduct and the company’s harassment policy. MRC also said it halted and rewrote the show’s sixth season to remove Spacey’s character, shortening the season from 13 episodes to eight, and that the arbitrator attributed tens of millions of dollars in losses to the breaches. These are MRC’s descriptions in its court filing, not findings reproduced in a public arbitration transcript. Read MRC’s petition to confirm the award.
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The amount MRC asked the court to confirm
MRC asked the court to confirm a total of $30,960,919.60. The petition itemized that request as follows:
| Category | Amount requested by MRC |
|---|---|
| Compensatory damages | $29,527,586 |
| Attorneys’ fees | $1,197,626.85 |
| Costs | $235,706.80 |
| Total | $30,960,919.60 |
Those figures are the amounts MRC sought in its 2021 petition; they are not the later reported settlement amount.
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What did the court do in 2022?
In August 2022, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mel Red Recana confirmed the arbitration award, giving it the force of a court judgment. An Associated Press report published by ABC News Australia described the award as about $30.9 million. The report quoted Recana as saying Spacey’s challenge had “fail[ed] to demonstrate that this is even a close case.” Read the 2022 report on the confirmation.
What were the reported settlement terms?
LegalClarity reported on June 26, 2026, that Spacey and MRC reached a settlement in December 2023 that reduced the roughly $31 million obligation to $1 million. The account says payment was to be made in installments equal to 10% of Spacey’s after-tax income. It also reports that Spacey agreed to cooperate in MRC’s separate lawsuit against insurers, including by testifying, undergoing medical examinations, and providing medical records. The settlement agreement itself was not publicly reviewed for this account, so these terms are attributed to LegalClarity rather than presented as language from the agreement. Read LegalClarity’s account of the settlement.
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Was the award later vacated?
Yes, according to the same LegalClarity account. It reports that after a jury sided with the insurer in March 2026, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Virginia Keeny vacated the nearly $31 million award on April 21, 2026, pursuant to the parties’ settlement arrangement. That reported vacatur was a later procedural outcome tied to the agreement; it was not a new arbitration award.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is this different from the 2026 UK civil settlement?
They were separate legal matters involving different claims and forums. In March 2026, three men who brought civil claims against Spacey in London’s High Court reached a separate confidential settlement. Reuters reported that a court order dated March 13 stayed those claims and cancelled an October 2026 trial; the reported allegations concerned events from 2000 to 2013. The terms were not disclosed. That settlement did not resolve the MRC arbitration. Read Reuters’ report on the UK civil claims.
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The UK civil settlement is also distinct from Spacey’s 2023 UK criminal trial, in which Reuters reported he was acquitted of all charges. A civil settlement is not a criminal verdict and does not, by itself, establish an admission of liability. Read AP’s report on the separate UK settlement.
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