Stars rally behind Kevin Spacey in his quest to resurrect his professional life.
Some time ago, Sharon Stone and Liam Neeson expressed support for Kevin Spacey in a piece from The Telegraph. According to the article, Stone stated, "I'm really looking forward to seeing Kevin back at work. He's a genius. He's so classy and joyful, always giving more than anyone could possibly expect, and he knows our profession better than most of us ever will." Neeson added, "Kevin is a great guy and a man with integrity. He's sensitive and witty, an excellent actor in theater and film. The industry needs him and misses him a lot."
In an interview with The Telegraph, Spacey discussed the fallout he experienced in 2017 when Anthony Rapp claimed the actor had made inappropriate sexual advances toward him while Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. Rapp's accusations were followed by more allegations, which led to Netflix ending Spacey's work on the series "House of Cards" and reshooting Spacey's scenes in the Ridley Scott film "All the Money in the World." Speaking of the situation, Spacey said, "My career was over in four days."
This latest interview comes after the release of a two-part docuseries called "Kevin Spacey Unmasked" by Channel 4. The documentary investigates Spacey's career and the allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. The show premiered on Max and Investigation Discovery. (CNN, Max, and Investigation Discovery share a parent company.)
Spacey denies the claims, stating they were "anonymous and vague" and that he was not given enough time to respond. Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Spacey said, "I won't sit back and let Channel 4 attack me with their biased documentary just for ratings. There are legitimate channels for addressing these allegations against me, and it's not this dying network." He added, "Allegations against me have failed to hold up under questioning, and I have been exonerated."
Channel 4 responded to Spacey's criticism, saying in a statement, "Spacey Unmasked is a significant film that examines the power imbalance and inappropriate behavior in the workplace, giving a voice to those who couldn't speak out before."
Spacey was cleared of sexual assault charges in a UK trial related to accusations from 2004 to 2013, when he served as artistic director at the Old Vic theater in London. In 2002, a New York jury ruled in Spacey's favor in a civil suit brought by Rapp.
During his conversation with The Telegraph, Spacey acknowledged the progress made as a result of the #MeToo movement but argued that some who have been accused are not given a chance to defend themselves fairly. "The companies I've had successful partnerships with should have taken the approach of investigating the situation before making a decision," said Spacey. "But instead, they ended their work with me without question. This reaction led others to terminate their collaborations with me too. All I ever wanted was for people to question and investigate."
CNN attempted to contact Netflix for a comment.
Throughout his career, Spacey has won two Academy Awards for his roles in "The Usual Suspects" (1995) and "American Beauty" (1999). According to IMDb, he has two films in development.
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Despite the negative publicity and career setbacks, the entertainment industry continues to recognize Spacey's talent. For instance, Sharon Stone and Liam Neeson have publicly expressed their support for his return to work, praising his acting skills and character.
Following his clearance of sexual assault charges in the UK, there are rumors of new films in development for Spacey, suggesting that entertainment companies may be considering giving him another chance.
Source: edition.cnn.com
