Kevin Spacey’s career came crashing down ever since his sexual harassment allegations rocked headlines back in 2017 in the wake of the #MeTooMovement. Since then, the actor has been MIA from the film industry. Prior to this, the celeb has also had multiple other allegations since his former co-star Anthony Rapp came forward with allegations of sexual assault in the early 1980s.
The allegations stated that Kevin Spacey made sexual advances to the then 14-year-old co-star at his apartment. Kevin issued a statement saying how beyond horrified he was to hear the accusation, insisting he had no memory of the incident and apologised to Anthony. In that same statement, the actor publicly came out and infuriated gay rights advocates who viewed his acknowledgement as a false conflation of homosexuality with paedophilia in an attempt to distract attention from the underlying accusation.
Fast forward to this year, a two-part documentary, “Spacey Unmasked,” recently aired in the UK, featuring previously unheard testimonies about the actor’s alleged sexual misconduct, including claims of aggressive sexual advances in high school and inappropriate behaviour in a cinema. In response, Kevin criticised the documentary in an interview stating, “Nobody in Hollywood has ever presented a path back for me. There’s no coursework material. I’ve been given no boxes to check, no nothing. It seems that some are content with just cancelling me forever.”
Despite the allegations, his fellow actors have voiced out their need for him to return to the big screen. Liam Neeson, and Sharon Stone, joined by F. Murray Abraham and more, have shared their sympathy for the actor as they claimed he’s not guilty and shouldn’t be punished for a crime he never committed. They claimed that cancelling culture is not allowing this talented star to make the comeback he deserves. “I can’t wait to see Kevin back at work. He’s a genius. He is so elegant and fun, generous to a fault and knows more about our craft than most of us ever will,’‘ Sharon shared in an interview.
Filmmaker Paul Schrader announced his opinion on the return, stating that he had planned to work with Kevin Spacey. He shared that, “Cancel culture won’t let him go. I would not use Kevin if he had been convicted. But he was not convicted.” During the American Beauty actor’s London trial, singer Sir Elton John testified to verify Kevin’s attendance at his White Tie and Tiara Balls in the early 2000s.
When allegations against the celebrity emerged in 2017, singer-songwriter Morrissey and actress Dame Judi Dench were among the celebrities who commented on the situation. Morrissey expressed scepticism, suggesting Kevin had been unfairly targeted, while Judi defended him as a friend and praised his acting talent. Since the accusations by Anthony Rapp in 2017, Spacey has continued to work, appearing in films such as “Once Upon a Time in Croatia”, “The Man Who Drew God”, “Control,” and “Peter Five Eight.”
Reflecting on the perspectives of these prominent celebrities, it appears that false accusations are not uncommon in the celebrity world. The question arises: has justice been served if someone’s career suffers due to unproven allegations, or does everyone deserve a second chance? Amidst the accusations, Kevin Spacey hopes to rehabilitate his career, strengthened by the support he has received from notable figures.
Sources: The Telegraph, Entertainment
Jade Mary contributed to this article.
