Robin Wright - Things you might not know, fun facts | Gallery

By Bryanne Salazar 8:17am PDT, Oct 30, 2018

On Nov. 2, 2018, the sixth and final season of "House of Cards" premieres on Netflix with Robin Wright at the helm of the political series as the new president of the United States. In honor of the show's return, Wonderwall.com is taking a look at some of the coolest facts you might not know about Robin (but should!), starting with her own TV-watching habits. In 2014, the longtime actress revealed to Us Weekly that she actually doesn't watch television, making her starring role on a TV series all the more ironic. Keep reading for more fun facts about this talented leading lady…

She's a Texa-Fornian

Robin Wright has roots in both Texas, where she was born, and California, where she was raised. The beautiful actress, who was born to a Mary Kay representative mom and pharmaceutical exec father, took her first breath in Ft. Worth. In her adolescence, Robin moved to San Diego, where she would eventually graduate from high school and launch her career in entertainment.

She's an action figure

OK, Robin Wright might not actually be an action figure, but her superhero character, General Antiope from "Wonder Woman," totally is. Not only can fans collect her awesome figurine, but they can look forward to seeing her character's return to the big screen in "Wonder Woman 1984," which is due in theaters on Nov. 1, 2019.

Her breakthrough film was "The Princess Bride"

If you need more proof that Robin Wright is awesome, we have her breakthrough film role in 1987's "The Princess Bride" as evidence. The fantasy-adventure flick featuring lovers torn apart, swashbuckling pirates, nimble giants and more became an instant cult classic, making Robin's title role in the film one of the best ways to launch a career in Hollywood.

She was a soap star

Robin Wright got her big break on TV in 1984 when she landed the part of Kelly Capwell on the daytime soap "Santa Barbara." Robin played the part for four years, eventually leaving after finding big-screen success in films like "The Princess Bride" and "Hollywood Vice Squad."

Sean Penn wasn't her first husband

When she was just 20, Robin Wright was married to fellow actor Dane Witherspoon. She met Dane in 1984 when he was cast as her love interest on the soap "Santa Barbara." The marriage began in 1986 but ended just two years later. Sadly, in 2014, Dane died at age 56. His cause of death was not reported.

She demanded equal pay

When Robin Wright found out that her former "House of Cards" co-star Kevin Spacey made more money than her in 2014, she demanded equal pay. Pointing out the fact that her character on the series, Claire Underwood, was even more popular than Kevin's Frank Underwood, she told Netflix execs, "You better pay me, or I'm going public," she revealed to an audience at the Rockefeller Foundation. Netflix agreed to a pay raise, which was reportedly $500,000 per episode — an $80,000 increase. Sadly, in 2017 — ahead of Kevin's firing amid a sexual misconduct scandal — Robin revealed to United's in-flight magazine, Rhapsody, that she did not believe she and the actor had reached pay parity yet. "I don't think I'm getting paid the same amount. They told me I was getting a raise. But … I don't think so… I don't like being duped."

She deserved an Oscar for "Forrest Gump"

Although Robin Wright had been a well-known actress for years, her performance in 1994's "Forrest Gump" as Jenny was one of the first that earned her critical acclaim. It was no surprise, then, when Robin earned both a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her performance. Shockingly, she wasn't nominated for an Oscar, a snub that many felt was a major oversight by the Academy.

She's only won one major award

Throughout Robin Wright's career, she's had several notable roles but sadly, she's only managed to snag one major award for her work. In 2014, Robin earned a Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a television series for playing Claire Underwood on "House of Cards." Robin went on to earn the same nomination again in 2015 and 2016.

"State of Grace" brought her love

Robin Wright had already met Sean Penn prior to filming the 1990 crime drama "State of Grace" but it was during their time together on-set that they fell in love. At the time, Sean was reeling from his 1989 divorce from Madonna and Robin was two years past her own divorce from actor Dane Witherspoon.

She was a teen model

When Robin Wright was just 14, she started working as a model. Seen here in the '80s, Robin's natural beauty landed her modeling jobs around the world, including in Japan and Europe. Robin's said that when she went to Europe, she loved it so much, she never wanted to come home. Thankfully, she did, because she was later discovered by a talent agent and cast on the small screen in her first role as Barbara Sue Anderson on two episodes of "The Yellow Rose" in 1983.

Her kids followed in her footsteps

Not only is Robin Wright a mother of two, but both of her children (shared with ex-husband Sean Penn) followed in their parent's famous footsteps by working in Hollywood. Daughter Dylan Penn is an actress and model who's appeared in Vogue, ELLE and Italian Glamour and starred in Nick Jonas' "Chains" music video. Son Hopper Penn is an actor with credits in films like "War Machine" and the 2018 mystery-thriller "Between Worlds."

She was the homecoming queen

Even before Robin Wright became famous, she was one of the coolest teens at La Jolla High in Southern California. In 1981, when Robin was just 15, she was voted to be high school homecoming queen. Pictures of her crowning achievement still exist in the school's yearbook, but sadly, this pic isn't one of them. It was taken a few years later when she landed a role on the soap opera "Santa Barbara."

She's a passionate activist

She's beautiful, she's talented, she's got an action figure and Robin Wright is a global activist. From traveling to the Congo to help women in conflict zones find economic opportunities to advocating for girls' education, gender equality, AIDS awareness and ending mass genocide and human rights' violations in developing nations, Robin never fails to use her platform for the good of humanity.

She co-founded an empowering sleepwear line

Add entrepreneur to the ever-growing list of amazing things Robin Wright is. Not only did Robin and her designer friend Karen Fowler (seen here) co-found a cozy sleepwear line called Pour Les Femmes, but they also created an economic opportunity for women abroad. Using seamstresses from conflict regions in the world, like the Congo, the company provides employment and financial security for women who have limited options for survival.

Her daughter models for her

Along with supporting women, Robin Wright also supports daughter Dylan Penn's career by employing her as a model for her sleepwear line. Keeping her business in the family is a great way for Robin to stay in touch with her busy daughter, who's set to star in the 2019 big-screen drama "Tramp."

She almost divorced Sean Penn in 2007

Robin Wright and Sean Penn had one of the most tumultuous marriages in Hollywood. The couple, who were married in 1996, filed for divorce in 2007 but later withdrew their petition, saying they were ready to work through their issues. That second shot at love only lasted three years, as the couple finally divorced (for real) in 2010.

Her everyday style is relaxed and casual

She's known for being one of the loveliest ladies in Hollywood and has an admitted love affair with high-fashion brands like Gucci, Stella McCartney and Ralph Lauren, but Robin Wright's everyday style is way more laid back and casual. In 2014, Robin told Us Weekly that her style is the "complete opposite" of her well-dressed "House of Cards" character, Claire Underwood. Catch Robin off-set and off the red carpet and she's likely to be wearing jeans and a simple blouse.

She's also a director and producer

Along with starring on "House of Cards," Robin Wright has served as one of the show's executive producers since 2016. Even cooler? In 2014, Robin made her directorial debut on the series and has since directed 10 episodes.

She married for a third time in 2018

When it comes to love, the third time was the charm for Robin Wright. In August 2018, the actress married Clement Giraudet, the French head of VIP relations for fashion brand Saint Laurent. The couple — she was in her early 50s at the time, while he was in his early 30s — reportedly tied the knot in a small, intimate ceremony in La Roche-sur-le-Buis, France, with just a few friends and family members present.

She's a skincare addict

You don't glow like that without taking great care of your skin. Robin Wright shared with Us Weekly that she "loathes" wearing heavy makeup on-set and has to fight her instincts to wipe it all off while on-camera. In 2017, she told NewBeauty that thanks to her days as a model, she learned to rub serums and creams in an upward motion on her face and neck, and uses an extra-rich emollient moisturizer to keep her skin plump and radiant. Her two favorite brands? Chantecaille Beauté from France and NYDG Skincare, which she rotates throughout the year.

Her divorce wasn't amicable

Usually, when celebrities divorce, they release a joint statement saying how much they still love and respect each other while simultaneously asking for privacy through their transition. Unfortunately, when Sean Penn and Robin Wright divorced in 2010, there was no "conscious uncoupling" a la Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. Instead of remaining friends after their split, Sean has frequently dissed Robin in the press, indicating there's no lost love between them. While Robin's kept it classy following their divorce (saying the end of their marriage was "devastating"), Sean has gone on record saying none of his ex wives have ever loved him, going so far as to call his relationships "a fraud" while also indicating that Robin's more focused on herself than being a mother to their adult children.

She nursed her son back to health

In the years following Robin Wright's divorce from husband Sean Penn, their youngest child, son Hopper, suffered a serious brain injury from a skateboarding accident that required emergency surgery. Facing possible coma or even death, Robin moved Hopper, then 21, into her home to care for him after the operation. Thankfully, he made a full recovery. In 2017, Hopper revealed he'd also battled a crystal meth addiction and credited his dad with forcing him to get help.

She's turned down some major roles

Robin Wright never wanted to be typecast, so she's been understandably picky about her film roles. She was reportedly considered for parts in 1993's "Jurassic Park" and 1995's "Batman Forever" but turned them down as she wanted something meatier and more real. Thankfully, she held out, because it led to her landing roles in "Forrest Gump" and "Moll Flanders."

She saved "House of Cards"

While "House of Cards" is coming to an end, we have Robin Wright to thank for keeping it alive for one final season. Vanity Fair reported in 2018 that after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against former star Kevin Spacey, Netflix was considering dropping the series for good. However, Robin was the one who convinced the streaming network to keep the show going in order to wrap up the storylines for devoted fans. Her bold move also saved the livelihoods of the cast and crew, who were otherwise facing a sudden loss of job and income.