ActorsSharon Stone,Liam Neeson, Stephen Fry, and F Murray Abraham are asking forKevin Spacey’s return to acting. Spacey’s career has suffered following sexual misconduct allegations made against him by over 15 men since the start of the #MeToo Movement. Spacey has faced the judiciary in New York and the UK for multiple incidents and has been acquitted of all wrongdoing, but public opinion remains divided.
A recent documentary titledSpacey Unmaskedfeatures interviewswith ten men who claim Spacey acted inappropriately. The release of the docuseries, which Spacey slammed as he claimed hewas not given ample time to respond, has motivated Stone, Neeson, Fry and Abraham to come to his defense. Stone told theTelegraphthat she was eager to see Spacey working again:
“He is a genius. He is so elegant and fun, generous to a fault and knows more about our craft than most of us ever will.”
Stone suggested that some aspiring actors might have sought out Spacey’s attention and presence in hopes of career advancement, adding:
“It’s terrible that they are blaming him for not being able to come to terms with themselves for using him and negotiating with themselves because they didn’t get their secret agendas.”
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In Neeson’s statement to the publication, he shared that he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the allegations against Spacey, adding:
“Kevin is a good man and a man of character. He’s sensitive, articulate and non-judgmental, with a terrific sense of humour. He is also one of our finest artists in the theatre and on camera. Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.”
Abraham, who is friends with Spacey, said he unequivocally vouched for theAmerican Beautyactor and called him a fine man.
Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards Crumbles
Spacey is a talented actor known for his screen and stage performances. He earned Academy Awards for his work onThe Usual SuspectsandAmerican Beautyand a Tony Award forLost in Yonkersin 1991. From 2013 to 2017, Spacey starred in Netflix’s critically acclaimedHouse of Cards; he earned a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of Frank Underwood. Once allegations against him emerged, however,Netflix severed ties with Spacey, removing him from the hit series and scrapping a Gore Vidal biopic.
While Spacey has worked since the allegations against him surfaced (he voiced a characterin the indie thrillerControland starred inPeter Five Eight), he’s a long way from the success he enjoyed at the height of his career. According to the Telegraph, the actor is at risk of losing his home, which is now in foreclosure.
While Fry noted that Spacey had been “clumsy” and “inappropriate,” likening him to “the likes of Harvey Weinstein” and continuing to “harass and hound him, to devote a whole documentary to accusations that simply do not add up to crimes … how can that be considered proportionate and justified?”
“Surely it is wrong to continue to batter a reputation on the strength of assertion and rhetoric rather than evidence and proof? Unless I’m missing something I think he has paid the price,” Fry said.
As for Spacey, he stated that “despite the challenges and the difficulties and the pain and the bad days, I’ve also witnessed the most beautiful demonstrations of friendship and love and family.”
Spacey will next star inMassimiliano Caroletti’sThe Contractand the action flickThe Bleeding GroundalongsideDjimon Hounsou.
