...
By Billie Schwab Dunn
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Rebecca De Mornay has defended her Peter Five Eight co-star Kevin Spacey, claiming he was "unjustly accused" of sexual assault.
Spacey was found not guilty in July 2023 of sexually assaulting four men following a trial in the U.K. During the court proceedings, the House of Cards star denied nine charges that included seven counts of sexual assault. His accusers had alleged the incidents took place between 2001 and 2013 and described the Oscar-winner as a "vile sexual predator."
Years after Spacey's career imploded at the height of the #MeToo movement, the one-time A-lister is attempting to inch his way back into show business. Spacey recently starred in the low-budget Neo-noir thriller Peter Five Eight, in what was marketed as his comeback vehicle, alongside De Mornay.
Read More on Entertainment
De Mornay has now defended her co-star against the allegations that have previously been leveled against him, saying she doesn't believe he's a "violent predator" and she "would work with him again."
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Spacey for comment on Thursday.
...
"I think it's really unfortunate, this entire sort of... politically correct handcuffing of everybody. That you're afraid on so many levels to ever speak your truth because you might get 'canceled,'" she told The Independent, saying the last word with air quotes.
"But, simply, I love Kevin Spacey's acting, and this whole thing of, you know, his trials and the accusations... I wasn't there. But I really don't think he is [guilty]. I think he's unjustly accused of a lot of stuff. I'm not sure why he was jumped on to the extent that he was. I think the timing was unfortunate with, you know, the Harvey Weinstein thing. But the bottom line is I chose to work with him because I love him as an actor, and I would work with him again."
Weinstein was convicted in the 2020 sexual assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley and the rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann. He received a 23-year prison sentence.
The conviction was overturned in April of this year by the New York Court of Appeals. The court ruled that three women who were not included in the charges should not have been allowed to speak about the alleged assault during their trial testimony. Weinstein's retrial is scheduled to begin on November 12.
He pleaded not guilty to the new charge, criminal sex act in the first degree, before Justice Curtis Farber in a New York City courtroom.
De Mornay continued: "I also want to say that if I really thought [Spacey] was a violent predator of any kind, I would feel differently. But I don't believe that about him. I'm not going to name them, but there are people whom I know or believe I know are violent predators, and those are people I wouldn't work with."
De Mornay isn't the only person involved with Peter Five Eight who has defended the actor. Co-star Jet Jandreau previously told Newsweek that working with Spacey was a "thrill."
"He's intense, he's funny and he was supportive of me as an actor in every scene we worked on together. He was supportive of the entire cast and crew and routinely had us in stitches on and off camera," he said.
Michael Zaiko Hall, the director of the film, said he was happy to play a part in delivering Spacey back to audiences.
"I missed Kevin on screen. I thought it was far too long since the culture was treated to a new Kevin performance," Hall told Newsweek. "My humble opinion is that he does not deserve to be canceled. I don't think that he's in the category where that's warranted."
In 2017, actor Anthony Rapp alleged that 31 years prior, Spacey made sexual advances toward him at a party while intoxicated. Spacey would have been 26 years old and Rapp was 14.
In a statement released at the time, Spacey admitted that he didn't recall the interaction but that he owed Rapp "the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior." Rapp then sued Spacey for sexual assault, sexual battery and the intentional infliction of emotional distress under the Child Victims Act. A jury found Spacey not liable on all counts.
Similar allegations were made by four men after the Rapp suit. Some lawsuits were withdrawn, and the rest of the charges were dismissed in 2023.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines