Kevin Spacey posted a video in his character from "House of Cards" just after it was announced he would face a sexual assault charge. Photo / YouTube
Kevin Spacey posted a video in his character from "House of Cards" just after it was announced he would face a sexual assault charge. Photo / YouTube
Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey posted a bizarre video online today as it emerged he would be charged with sexual assault.
Spacey, an Academy Award winner best known in recent years for portraying Frank Underwood in House of Cards, is accused of assaulting a teenager at a bar in Boston in 2016, and will be arraigned on January 7.
He will face a charge of indecent assault and battery.
The alleged victim was the son of news anchor Heather Unruh, who levelled the accusation during an emotional news conference in November last year.
Former Boston news anchor Heather Unruh holds a press conference on November 8, 2017 to discuss the alleged sexual abuse of her son by actor Kevin Spacey. Photo / Getty
"I want to see Kevin Spacey go to jail," Unruh said. "I want to see Kevin Spacey have the hand of justice come down on him, not just for my son, but for the many others who have yet to speak their truth."
She alleged Spacey bought alcohol for her then 18-year-old son before sticking his hand inside the young man's pants and grabbing his genitals.
Her son fled the restaurant when Space went to the bathroom.
"The victim, my son, was a starstruck, straight, 18-year-old young man who had no idea that the famous actor was an alleged sexual predator or that he was about to become his next victim," Ms Unruh said.
As the news of Spacey's looming sexual assault charge was revealed, the actor posted a strange video in an apparent attempt to protest his innocence.
The three-minute clip, titled 'Let Me Be Frank', shows Spacey standing in front of a kitchen sink, and speaking in the voice of Frank Underwood.
"I know what you want. Oh sure, they may have tried to separate us, but what we have is too strong, too powerful. I mean after all, we shared everything, you and I," he tells the viewer.
"I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty. But mostly I challenged you and made you think. And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldn't.
"So we're not done, no matter what anyone says. And besides, I know what you want. You want me back."
Spacey seems to be referring to Netflix's decision to write Underwood out of House of Cards' final season in response to the allegations against him. Underwood was killed off, and Robin Wright's character Claire Underwood assumed the lead role in his place.
Spacey proceeds to imply people have judged him without looking at the evidence.
"Of course some believed everything, and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all. They're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and that I got what I deserved," he says.
"Wouldn't that be easy, if it were all so simple? Only you and I know it's never that simple, not in politics and not in life."
Legal experts were bemused by the video, and said Spacey's defence lawyers would hate it.
"While I'm not too sure that presenting himself on a YouTube video as his alter ego diabolical character from House of Cards is smart PR-wise, I don't think it will impact him legally," defence lawyer Julie Rendelman told Law & Crime.
"With that said, anything he does say can be used against him, so he should simply keep his mouth shut."
Analyst Ronn Blitzer said the video "falls somewhere between desperate and self-incriminating".
"His defence will probably note that this is in character and thus meaningless, while annoyed that they have to deal with this unnecessary stunt at all."
Kevin Spacey pictured in London on June 21, 2017. Spacey's career nosedived following allegations from actor Anthony Rapp in October 2017. Photo / Getty
Spacey's career nosedived following allegations from actor Anthony Rapp in October 2017.
Rapp accused Spacey of making a sexual advance on him at a party in 1986, when he was just 14 years old.
At the time, Rapp was a child star earning praise for his appearances in the Broadway run of Precious Sons. He said Spacey invited him to attend a party at his Manhattan apartment, where he found he was the only non-adult in attendance.
As the party ended, Rapp alleged that Spacey appeared in the room where he was watching TV, visibly drunk, and moved towards him.
"He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me," Rapp told Buzzfeed.
"He was trying to seduce me," Rapp continued. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."
Rapp said he broke free and fled the apartment.
"The older I get, and the more I know, I feel very fortunate that something worse didn't happen," he said.
Spacey said he was "beyond horrified" to learn of Rapp's allegations and the story had encouraged him to "address other things" about his life. He then revealed he was gay.
"I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I'm beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago," Spacey said.
"But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years."
Following Rapp's story, 20 other men came forward to accuse Spacey of misconduct.
