Devendra Kumar
Sharon Stone, Liam Neeson, and Stephen Fry are among the stars who have come forward to support Kevin Spacey’s return to the acting industry after seven years of exile. The Oscar-winning actor was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017, leading to his resignation from the hit Netflix show House of Cards and his public persona being tarnished. Despite being acquitted of multiple sexual offenses and winning a civil lawsuit against him, Spacey still claims he feels ostracized from the industry.
Stone, a Basic Instinct star, told The Telegraph that she “can’t wait to see Kevin back at work” and described him as a “genius,” “elegant,” and “fun.” She also criticized aspiring actors who used Spacey for personal gain, stating, “They’re blaming him for not being able to come to terms with themselves for using him and negotiating with themselves because they didn’t get their secret agendas.” Neeson, 71, echoed Stone’s sentiments, saying, “Kevin is a good man and a man of character. Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.”
Fry, a British actor and writer, was more critical of the situation, stating that Spacey had been both “clumsy and inappropriate” in the past, but that the allegations against him did not add up to crimes. He questioned the proportionality of devoting a documentary to the accusations and argued that Spacey’s reputation had already been “wrecked.” Fry concluded, “Unless I’m missing something, I think he has paid the price.”
Other actors, including F Murray Abraham and Sir Trevor Nunn, also spoke out in support of Spacey, with Abraham describing him as a “man who has publicly accepted his responsibility for certain behavior” and Nunn calling him an “actor of genius.” Nunn, who directed Spacey in two productions at The Old Vic, urged that Spacey be forgiven and allowed to resume his career after seven years of exile.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Spacey lamented the “rush to judgment” that occurred in the wake of the #MeToo movement, stating that he is still struggling to come to terms with the consequences of his actions. Despite his fall from grace, Spacey’s impressive resume, which includes two Academy Awards and a Bafta, has not been forgotten, and many in the industry are rooting for his return to the spotlight.