Kevin Spacey Breaks Silence on Fresh Allegations of Misconduct

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey fired back at fresh allegations of sexual harassment and assault from men who will feature as part of a documentary on British television.

Kevin Spacey Breaks Silence on Fresh Allegations of Misconduct
entertainment
04 May 2024, 05:34 PM
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Kevin Spacey Responds to New Allegations

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is firing back at new allegations of sexual harassment and assault from men who will be featured as part of a documentary on British television that is due to be released next week.

"I've got nothing left to hide," Spacey told former U.K. journalist Dan Wootton during a two-hour, 20 minute online interview titled, "Kevin Spacey: Right of Reply," which was aired late Friday on Wootton's YouTube channel and social media accounts.

In the interview, Spacey, 64, said he has never done anything illegal and admitted that he had struggled to get back to work after being acquitted last year of criminal charges in a London court.

"I can't go through this again, allowing myself to be baselessly attacked without defending myself," he said.

Last July, a London jury acquitted Spacey on sexual assault charges stemming from allegations by four men dating back 20 years. The court victory was his second since a New York jury sided with Spacey in a $40 million lawsuit in 2022 brought by "Star Trek: Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp.

A documentary titled "Unveiling Spacey" is scheduled to premiere on May 6 and 7 on Channel 4 in the UK and will be available for streaming on Max in the United States. The documentary will include accounts from individuals recounting incidents that took place between 1976 and 2013, as shared by the actor in an interview.

Spacey expressed, "I acknowledge my past behavior and actions, however, I refuse to accept responsibility or offer apologies to individuals who have fabricated allegations or exaggerated stories about me." The actor, known for his roles in "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty," stated, "I have never made any promises of career advancement in exchange for sexual favors, never."

Furthermore, Spacey, who previously held the position of artistic director at the Old Vic Theatre in London from 2004 to 2015, once again admitted to engaging in flirtatious behavior with men in their 20s and occasionally making inappropriate advances.

"I have indeed been involved with individuals who believed that a relationship with me could further their careers," he remarked. "However, there was no explicit agreement from my side; it was all part of their strategy, a strategy doomed to failure as I was unaware of their intentions."

Actor's Return to Work

The actor said in the interview that having his Hollywood career cut short hit him financially, but that returning to work in the past year has been both welcomed and challenging. At the time of the first allegations in 2017, Spacey was starring as Frank Underwood in the highly popular Netflix drama "House of Cards." It was also the beginning of the #MeToo movement.

"It does feel very special, a very, very valuable time because, you know, acting is really lying for a profession. You're trying to convince an audience that you're somebody else, which is probably why it's easy for me and why many think I'm good at it," Spacey told Wootton.

He added: "The reality is that I did only ever have one dream in life and that was to be an actor. And while I most certainly did love the attention I got, the truth is, I would be quite content to never show up at another award show ever again."  

The actor also claimed on X, formerly Twitter, that he had "repeatedly requested" that Channel 4 give him more than seven days to respond to the allegations made about him in their documentary.

Spacey said the broadcaster refused "on the basis that they feel that asking for a response in 7 days to new, anonymized and non-specific allegations is a 'fair opportunity' for me to refute any allegations made against me."

"Each time I have been given the time and a proper forum to defend myself, the allegations have failed under scrutiny and I have been exonerated," he added.

Kevin Spacey Opens Up About Struggles Post-Acquittal

Former actor Kevin Spacey recently shared his challenges in returning to work after being cleared of all criminal charges, likening his experience to a "life sentence."

Media outlets, including The Associated Press and CBS News, have reached out to relevant parties for comment.