"House of Cards" actor Michael Kelly tells SalonTV that his character helped him become more active in real-world politics. The actor and three-time Emmy Award nominee makes his last run playing Doug Stamper, the Underwood administration's former chief of staff, as the series drops its last and final run.

When the fate of the show was uncertain after top billed star Kevin Spacey was fired amid sexual misconduct allegations a year ago, Kelly's character's underwent drastic changes, he explained on "Salon Talks."

"Every year, those writers give me something that terrifies the shit out of me. It excites the shit out of me," Kelly said. "This season it was just a little bit more of that, with a little bit less notice."

Kelly, who studied political science in college, also noticed a change in his own political interests off-screen. "I've always been very into politics, but the show definitely made me a little more involved, because what it did was it gave me a platform." And, Kelly explained, "I back it up. I'm not just saying that I disagree with policy just to say I disagree with the president. I go and I lobby on the hill for seniors. I meet with Republicans and Democrats."

Watch the video above to hear more about where politics and "House of Cards" meet for Kelly. And check out the full episode to learn why Kelly is crediting Robin Wright for stepping up to make sure the final season of the show became a reality for fans.

Season six of "House of Cards" premieres Nov. 2 on Netflix.