Kevin Spacey’s highly anticipated criminal trial in the U.K. has begun. The trial, expected to last up to four weeks, commenced on Wednesday morning at London’s Southwark Crown Court. Spacey, dressed in a dark blue suit, white blue shirt, and pink tie, arrived at court around 9 a.m.
The 63-year-old actor is facing 12 charges from four different men, all of which occurred between 2001 and 2013. The charges include seven counts of sexual assault, three counts of indecent assault, and two counts of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Many of the allegations stem from Spacey’s time as artistic director of the Old Vic theatre from 2004 to 2015. Spacey has vehemently denied all charges, proclaiming his innocence during a hearing at London’s Old Bailey in July 2022 and a subsequent video hearing in January 2023.
This trial marks the first time Spacey is facing legal proceedings in the U.K. since the sexual assault accusations emerged in 2017. It also coincides with the anniversary of Spacey’s initial appearance in court in June 2022, where his defense counsel successfully argued for him to have unconditional bail. This allowed Spacey to freely travel in and out of the U.K., against the prosecution’s recommendation to have his passport confiscated due to the severity of the potential sentence.
Following the emergence of the sexual assault allegations and the #MeToo movement, Spacey’s career suffered a major blow. He was subsequently removed from Netflix’s “House of Cards” and Ridley Scott’s “All The Money in the World,” with Christopher Plummer taking over his role in the latter film through costly reshoots. Since then, Spacey has received fewer roles, primarily in lower-budget projects. He recently completed shooting the comedic thriller “Peter Five Eight,” which is set to be released in August, after the conclusion of the trial. However, his previously announced involvement in the Hungarian-backed Genghis Khan drama “1242 – Gateway to the West” has been canceled.
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If found guilty, Spacey could face a prison sentence. However, he expressed optimism in a recent interview with German magazine ZEITmagazin, stating that he expects to resume his career almost immediately if acquitted in the U.K. trial. According to Spacey, there are people ready to hire him as soon as he is cleared of charges, eager to move forward with new projects.
The trial of Kevin Spacey is a significant moment in the ongoing reckoning with sexual misconduct allegations in the entertainment industry. It serves as a reminder of the impact of the #MeToo movement and the consequences faced by those accused of such acts. As the trial unfolds, the outcome will chart a course for Spacey’s future and potentially shape the broader conversation surrounding accountability and justice for victims of sexual assault.
