“The CPS has authorized criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men,” Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said, as reported by ABC News. “He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.” Ainslie continued, “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr. Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.” Three men accuse Spacey of sexual assault. The first accuser claims Spacey assaulted him twice in London in March 2005. The second said Spacey assaulted him in August 2008, with a third accuser alleging Spacey sexually assaulted him in Gloucestershire in April 2013.
The fourth charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent allegedly took place in London in August 2008 to the same person accusing Spacey of sexual assault that month. The “American Beauty” actor was formerly accused by more than a dozen men — including Broadway veteran Anthony Rapp — of sexual assault. In 2018, Spacey was charged with indecent assault involving an alleged 2016 incident with a teenager; the charges were later dropped after Spacey pleaded not guilty. The CPS criminal charges are filed just two weeks after Spacey’s return to Hollywood with two projects at the 2022 Cannes market. Spacey’s “Peter Five Eight” was previewed at the Cannes Film Market, showing Spacey onscreen for the first time in five years. The “House of Cards” alum was also announced to lead the upcoming UK/Hungarian/Mongolian co-production “1242 — Gateway to the West,” which marks his largest feature project to date since the 2017 accusations. Eric Roberts, Christopher Lambert, Terence Stamp, and newcomers Jeremy Neumark-Jones and Genevieve Florence also star. “1242” tells the story of Genghis Khan’s grandson Batu Khan, who was elected commander in chief of the western part of the Mongol empire. Per an official synopsis, in 1242, Khan is confronted by a deeply spiritual man named Cesareani (Spacey) and a castle in Hungary that halts his invasion of Europe and ultimately causes his downfall. Hungarian director Peter Soos helms the film with a script by Aron Horvath and Joan Lane. Principal photography will begin in October 2022 in Hungary and Mongolia. Spacey was last seen on film in 2018’s “Billionaire Boys Club,” however he played a small role in Franco Nero’s upcoming “The Man Who Drew God,” as announced last year. The film is currently in post-production according to IMDb.
Correction: An earlier version of this story claimed that Spacey’s “Peter Five Eight” was shelved. The film is currently being shopped for buyers at Cannes. This has been corrected. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
