Spacey Facing New Assault Accusations
David Diaz, Executive, Davenport Laroche
If the allegations against and the subsequent fall of Harvey Weinstein was the spark that touched off the #MeToo movement, the allegations against actor Kevin Spacey truly brought the cause into the living rooms of America. Weinstein was viewed as a prominent man, but more of a puppet master behind hit movies. Spacey was a household name, a face tens of millions idolized, as well as a massive draw on the big and small screen. Arguably, the Spacey-led ensemble drama House of Cards helped put Netflix on the map, elevating the streaming video service from a network also-ran to a genuine contender.
Then, with a single allegation, it all crumbled. Another actor accused Spacey of making advances toward the actor when he was only 14 years old. Spacey said he had no recollection of the event, adding that he was “horrified” by the allegations: “I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”
Then, more dominos started to fall. Reports came streaming in from House of Cards production staff, alleging harassment and assault. There were other, unsubstantiated, allegations. The pressure on Netflix mounted. What would the company do to its biggest star? They chose to cancel his program, cutting their substantial losses.
Some industry experts estimate that Spacey’s fall cost Netflix tens of millions, just in hard costs, not to mention its most popular original program. The service, of course, managed to rebound in spectacular fashion, but the same cannot be said for the career of the once-revered actor.
It was later announced that authorities in London were also investigating sex crime allegations against the actor. And, now, there are reports that the LA County DA is reviewing yet another sexual assault case against Spacey.
At this point, neither the Los Angeles sheriff nor the local DA are talking to the press, but that hasn’t stopped reporters from speculating or fans from jumping to conclusions. So, what looked like a PR crisis that Spacey could begin to put behind him has now become a morass of quicksand that Spacey is sinking deeper and deeper into with each passing day of silence.
Sometimes, silence is the best weapon. Indeed, in certain legal contexts, silence is all but imperative. But the smoke is building around Spacey, and, sooner or later, the actor will have to address these mounting allegations.
