Is President Obama joining the cast of House of Cards? Netflix boss hopes so

President Barack Obama speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, 17 October 2013 (AP)

His favourite television show is Homeland, but President Barack Obama could soon be making a cameo in House of Cards.

That's after Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings asked the President to make an appearance on the Emmy-winning series during a meeting in Washington, where top technology executives are discussing the National Security Agency's surveillance programme following Edward Snowden's revelations.

Obama asked Hastings for an advanced copy of season 2, which is set to be streamed next year, to which the Netflix boss jokingly responded by offering a cameo.

The president then expressed his admiration for House Majority Whip Frank Underwood, who is played by Kevin Spacey, wishing Washington worked more like the TV show.

“I wish things were that ruthlessly efficient,” said Obama. “It’s true. It’s like Kevin Spacey, man this guy’s getting a lot of stuff done.”

House of Cards chronicles the murky details of Washington's political underworld as Representative Underwood battles, lies and cheats his way to the top.

This is not the first time life imitates art.

Kevin Spacey poked fun at Washington's political gridlock in a House of Cards spoof in a sketch for the White House Correspondents annual dinner featuring John McCain, Valerie Jarrett, Ed Henry, Steny Hoyer and Kevin McCarthy.

House of Cards returns to Netflix February 2014.