Kevin Spacey says he’s ready to return to the spotlight as he prepares to stand trial in London later this month for 12 sexual offense charges.
The embattled “House of Cards” star spoke about the possibility of a comeback in a recent interview with Zeit Magazine, published more than seven months after a New York jury ruled that Spacey did not molest actor Anthony Rapp in the ’80s.
“The moment scrutiny is applied, these things fall apart,” he said. “That’s what happened in the Rapp trial, and that’s what will happen in this case.”
At the center of the trial, which begins June 28, are allegations from 2001 to 2013 by four men who claim the actor sexually assaulted them. Two of the men alleged they engaged in non-consensual sex with Spacey, who served as the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre in London from 2004 to 2015.
Spacey pleaded not guilty to seven sexual offense charges relating to one man’s accusations in January, according to multiple reports.
In the Zeit interview — his first since shying away from the public eye as allegations surfaced in 2017 — Spacey said he’s “still processing” the downfall of his career.
Amid the growing sexual assault claims, Spacey was removed from TV and film projects and dropped by publicists, managers and agencies. Opportunities dried up, making the actor feel like he was “back at the beginning of my career, when nobody wanted me.”
“The media have done their best to turn me into a monster,” he said elsewhere in the interview. “But from the people, I have seen nothing but affection.”
Spacey was speaking with Zeit while on a break from doing voice work for the upcoming thriller “Control,” directed by Gene Fallaize. He initially passed on the project, but accepted a part after his New York acquittal.
“Control” is among the several projects the two-time Oscar winner has taken on in recent years. The “American Beauty” star also appeared in the films “Billionaire Boys Club” (2018) and “The Man Who Drew God” (2022).
Spacey, determined to keep working despite the claims against him, also spent his time away from Hollywood writing scripts for theater pieces and short films. The actor says that he is aware some creators “are very afraid” to collaborate with him, but is confident other artists may pave the way for a comeback.
“I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London,” he said. “The second that happens, they’re ready to move forward.”
He added: “In 10 years, [the allegations] won’t mean anything. My work will live longer than I will, and that’s what will be remembered.”
