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News > World

UK Theater Cites 20 Inappropriate Behavior Claims Against Spacey

  • Actor Kevin Spacey speaks to a reporter as he arrives during the premiere of

    Actor Kevin Spacey speaks to a reporter as he arrives during the premiere of "Recount" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, May 13, 2008. | Photo: AFP

Published 16 November 2017
Opinion

They are the latest allegations to hit Spacey, one of the power players brought down by the cascade of sexual abuse claims in Hollywood.

The Old Vic theater said Thursday that it had received 20 claims of "inappropriate behavior" against U.S. actor Kevin Spacey, who was artistic director at the prestigious London venue for over a decade.

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"The investigation resulted in 20 personal testimonies shared of alleged inappropriate behavior carried out by Kevin Spacey," the theater said in a statement.

The allegations cover a period ranging from 1995 to 2013, and the theater said it was not able to verify any of them.

Spacey became artistic director at The Old Vic in 2004 and stepped down in 2015.

The theatre said that some of those who made the claims felt they had not been able to come forward and that Spacey "operated without sufficient accountability".

"This is clearly unacceptable and The Old Vic truly apologizes for not creating an environment or culture where people felt able to speak freely," it said.

"The investigation found that his stardom and status at The Old Vic may have prevented people, and in particular junior staff or young actors, from feeling that they could speak up or raise a hand for help."

In more than a month since allegations surfaced in the press about serial predatory behavior by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, victims have said they feel emboldened to voice allegations against men who had been seen as unassailable.

Besides Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, the blockbuster director, Brett Ratner, has also been accused of sexual transgressions, while other actors, managers, and agents are in the hot seat as well.

The Old Vic said no formal grievances were raised against Spacey during his tenure except for one person who had come forward at the time, and none of the people were minors at the time of the alleged incidents.

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Spacey is facing a string of abuse claims in the United States, including an attempted rape of a 15-year-old boy in New York.

A woman in the U.S. state of Massachusetts claimed the "House of Cards" star sexually assaulted her 18-year-old son last year, while actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making advances on him when he was 14 years old.

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