Summary
- Kevin Spacey slams upcoming docuseries on sexual abuse allegations against him.
- Spacey denies allegations, calls Channel 4 a “dying network” desperate for ratings.
- Despite legal wins, public opinion on Spacey remains mixed; actor’s career continues with upcoming projects.
An upcoming docuseries detailing sexual abuse allegations against Kevin Spacey is being slammed by the actor. Titled Spacey Unmasked, the two-part series chronicles Spacey’s life from his childhood to his Broadway success and his rise to stardom, through to his spectacular fall from grace as he faces accusations of sexual harassment and abuse. The docuseries will feature archive footage and never-seen-before interviews with multiple men about their experiences with the American Beauty actor. Spacey Unmasked is set to air on May 6 and May 7 in the UK on Channel 4; Max has also acquired it for release in the US, but no date has been announced.
According to Variety, Spacey had been given the opportunity to reply to the claims made in the series. Still, Spacey shared his displeasure with the allotted time frame through a post on X (previously Twitter). He shared:
“Over the last week, I have repeatedly requested that @Channel4 afford me more than 7 days to respond to allegations made against me dating back 48 years and provide me with sufficient details to investigate these matters,” he wrote, claiming the channel “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.”
Spacey went on to slam Channel 4, a public access network well known for its documentary features, calling it “a dying network” desperate for ratings.
“I will not sit back and be attacked by a dying network’s one-sided ‘documentary’ about me in their desperate attempt for ratings. There’s a proper channel to handle allegations against me and it’s not Channel 4. 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. Tune in this weekend to see my response on
http://X.com/kevinspacey
Channel 4 and
@RoastBeefTV
may find themselves ‘speechless’, but I no longer will be.”
Following the actor’s post, Channel 4 and Roast Beef Productions shared a statement with multiple outlets:
“‘
Spacey Unmasked’
will broadcast on 6th and 7th May. Kevin Spacey has been given sufficient opportunity to respond.”
Kevin Spacey’s Fall From Grace
Spacey, an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Tony-winning actor known for his work on film and stage, came under fire at the beginning of the #MeToo movement in 2017, as several men accused him of sexual assault. One of those men, Star Trek: Discovery’s Anthony Rapp, claimed Spacey had made sexual advances towards him when he was only 14 years old. Rapp sued Spacey, who was found not liable following a 2022 trial in the US.
Spacey would be back in court in 2023, but this time, the actor would face the Judiciary in the UK. There, Spacey faced 12 counts of sexual assault for incidents allegedly occurring between 2001 and 2013. The House of Cards actor was found not guilty of nine charges; the remaining three were dismissed.
Despite Spacey’s legal wins, public opinion on the actor’s behavior remains mixed (a Christmas video posted alongside Tucker Carlson certainly left plenty of heads shaking), but the actor’s career is on the move. Last year, he appeared in the British indie thriller Control; this year, he led the critically panned Peter Five Eight. Spacey will next star in Massimiliano Caroletti’s The Contract as the Devil (yes, that Devil).
Spacey Unmasked
is directed by Katherine Haywood. It premieres on UK’s Channel 4 on May 6. Check out the trailer below.
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