Liam Neeson, Sharon Stone Call for Kevin Spacey To Be Uncanceled Amid New Sexual Misconduct Doc: ‘Our Industry Needs Him’
Actor Kevin Spacey addresses the media outside Southwark Crown Court in London, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor, has denied new allegations of inappropriate behavior from men who will feature in a documentary on British television that is due to be released on May, 6-7, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Kevin Spacey is receiving support from fellow actors Liam Neeson and Sharon Stone as a new documentary has been released highlighting sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey.
Spacey saw multiple high profile jobs evaporate in 2017 amid the #MeToo movement where he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple men in incidents that covered decades. Spacey was removed from Netflix’s House of Cards, edited out of Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World, and a completed biopic about Gore Vidal was shelved.
The two-time Academy Award winner has been adamant about his innocence and responded to allegations contained in the Spacey Unmasked documentary, streaming on Max, in a recent, lengthy interview with Dan Wootten. Among the allegations against Spacey was from actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed he was assaulted as a minor by Spacey. Spacey ultimately won against a sexual battery lawsuit from Rapp in 2022. He was also acquitted of multiple sexual assault charges in the UK in 2023.
Stone and Neeson spoke to The Telegraph and both called for Spacey to return to work following his legal victories.
“I can’t wait to see Kevin back at work,” Stone said. “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 accused some of Spacey’s accusers of having “secret agendas.” Spacey expressed the same sentiment in the Wootten interview, claiming he never offered career favors in exchange for companionship, but some expected such an arrangement.
Neeson said the industry “needs” and “misses” Spacey.
“I was deeply saddened to learn of these accusations against him. Kevin is a good man and a man of character. He’s sensitive, articulate and non-judgmental, with a terrific sense of humor,” the Taken star said. “He is also one of our finest artists in the theater and on camera. Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.”
F. Murray Abraham also said he “vouched” for Spacey. Abraham was removed from the Apple TV+ series Mythic Quest amid allegations of inappropriate behavior on set. He offered an apology afterwards and claimed he only told “jokes.”
“Surely it is wrong to continue to batter a reputation on the strength of assertion and rhetoric rather than evidence and proof?” Stephen Fry also said in support of Spacey.
In the Wootten interview, Spacey questioned the timing of the new documentary, arguing he was informed of its existence just as he was beginning to work again. The actor has not found the same top notch gigs he landed in the past, but he has been popping up in independent films like Peter Five Eight and Control.
“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 told The Telegraph.
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