In mid-June, just before the start of Kevin Spacey’s U.K. criminal trial, the German publication ZEITmagazin featured an interview with the actor in which he expressed his anticipation of working again if found not guilty. Spacey confidently claimed that there were people ready to hire him as soon as he was cleared of the charges. However, despite being acquitted of all nine charges he faced in the U.K. and being found not liable in the New York civil case, it appears that Spacey’s claim of producers lining up to cast him may not be true.
Multiple sources suggest that Spacey’s return to the Hollywood industry will not be as successful as his previous career. One former studio chief bluntly states that being found not guilty does not guarantee exciting career prospects. Before his fall from grace, Spacey’s star credentials were largely based on his role in Netflix’s House of Cards, for which he had received critical acclaim and awards. However, following the sexual harassment allegations that emerged in 2017, he was removed from Ridley Scott’s film All the Money in the World through expensive reshoots, and he was also fired from House of Cards. His limited work since then has been restricted to small parts in low-budget indie films.
While Spacey may want to return to Hollywood, industry insiders believe that the chances of him receiving leading roles are slim, especially in North America. Miriam Elchanan, senior vice president of Fabrication Films, suggests that it will take time for studios and streamers to decide whether to cast Spacey. Furthermore, international distributors are also unlikely to show much interest in projects solely because he is involved.
Given his diminished reputation, it is suggested that Spacey’s future lies in the lower rungs of the industry, such as cheaper action films and thrillers. It is speculated that he may experience a “Millennium Phase” similar to the production company behind the Expendables franchise, which has given aging stars a new lease of life. However, there is also the question of representation, as Spacey’s former agency, CAA, dropped him along with his publicist after the allegations emerged. It remains to be seen if any major agencies would be willing to take him on as a client.
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The damage done to Spacey’s reputation and the speed at which he was ostracized from Hollywood may be difficult to repair, even though he has been found innocent. A veteran publicist suggests that his stock went from negative 20 percent to negative 5 percent, and the negative energy surrounding him is hard to overcome in any meaningful way.
In conclusion, while Kevin Spacey may have been cleared of the charges against him, it is unlikely that he will be able to reclaim his leading man status in Hollywood. The opportunities for him to return to the industry will likely be limited to smaller roles in low-budget films, and it remains to be seen if any major agencies will be willing to represent him. The damage to his reputation may be too significant to overcome, making a successful comeback highly unlikely.
