Kevin Spacey's UK sexual assault trial, explained
The disgraced actor is facing potential jail time
Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey is in a U.K. courtroom facing allegations of sexual assault. Will the case land him behind bars nearly six years after he was first hit with misconduct allegations? Or could a vindication in court lead to a career comeback, as he claims?
What has Spacey been charged with?
Spacey faces 12 charges and is alleged to have sexually assaulted four men between 2001 and 2013. The U.K.'s Crown Prosecution Service announced charges against Spacey, including four counts of sexual assault against three men and a charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, in May 2022. In November, seven more charges were authorized. The alleged assaults largely took place while the actor served as artistic director at London's Old Vic theater from 2003 to 2015.
In the first incident, Spacey is accused of groping a man Spacey employed as a driver in London, according to Deadline. In a second, Spacey allegedly grabbed a man's penis "with such force it was painful." Spacey is also accused of performing oral sex on a man who fell asleep in his apartment. Finally, he's accused of grabbing a man's crotch after they met in a pub, per Deadline.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Could he go to jail?
Yes, Spacey could receive jail time if he's convicted. He's facing criminal charges, whereas a previous sexual assault case that he won in New York last year was a civil trial. The charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to Reuters.
What have prosecutors said?
As the trial began, prosecutor Christine Agnew told jurors that Spacey "delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable" and is a "sexual bully," adding, "none of the men wanted to be touched by Kevin Spacey Fowler in a sexual way, but he doesn't seem to have cared very much for their feelings," per The Washington Post. "He did what he wanted to do for his own personal sexual gratification."
What else have jurors heard during the trial?
The man whom Spacey employed as a driver told jurors that the actor is a "slippery, snaky, difficult person" who groped him, and he also accused the actor of grooming, according to CBS News. "He grabbed me so hard I almost came off the road," the man said, per Deadline. "He grabbed me really hard, and it really hurt. I pushed him against the door and said, 'Don't do that again, or I will knock you out.'" The accuser also compared Spacey, who allegedly groped him a "good dozen times," to Spacey's serial killer character from the movie "Se7en."
Jurors saw additional interviews between accusers and police, with one alleging Spacey grabbed his genitals and saying it was "not like a seduction" but "was angry," adding that he had to push the actor away twice, per The Associated Press. The accuser who met Spacey in a pub said he pushed him away after the actor grabbed his crotch and said, "Be cool, be cool." The fourth accuser alleged that after he woke up to find Spacey had just performed a sex act on him, the actor "said I shouldn't talk to anyone about what had happened."
What has Spacey said?
Spacey has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and has denied any nonconsensual sexual conduct. According to Variety, the actor said he didn't recall meeting two of the accusers, said he was "baffled" that the first accuser has "reimagined" their time together and acknowledged he may have made a "clumsy pass" in the third accuser's case but denied assaulting him. Spacey's attorney told jurors that they would hear "deliberate exaggerations" and "damned lies" during the trial.
Spacey also claimed in an interview with ZEITmagazin that "there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London," and "the second that happens, they're ready to move forward." In October 2022, a jury found Spacey not liable in a sexual assault lawsuit brought by Anthony Rapp, who was one of the first people to level sexual misconduct allegations against him in 2017.
Spacey's trial is expected to last four weeks.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
All the records Taylor Swift has broken
Speed Read Swift's 'Eras' tour is now the highest-grossing concert tour in history
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
The video game franchises with the best lore
The Week Recommends The developers behind these games used their keen attention to detail and expert storytelling abilities to create entire universes
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
The buzziest movies from the 2023 Venice Film Festival
Speed Read Which would-be Oscar contenders got a boost?
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
America's troubling school bus driver shortage
Speed Read Kids are heading back to school, but they might be having trouble getting a ride
By Theara Coleman Published
-
5 college admissions trends to watch out for this year
Speed Read College advisers and admissions experts say these trends will shape the 2023-2024 admissions cycle
By Theara Coleman Published
-
What's going on with Fyre Festival II?
Speed Read Convicted felon Billy McFarland claims the music festival will happen, for real this time
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
The answer to rising home prices: smaller homes
Speed Read Builders are opting for fewer rooms and more attached styles as frustrated homebuyers look for affordable options
By Theara Coleman Published
-
5 illuminating books about the video game industry
Speed Read Cozy up with a few reads that dig into some of the most fascinating parts of video game history
By Theara Coleman Published