Kevin Spacey hits back at Channel 4 over ‘one-sided’ documentary

The documentary, titled ‘Spacey Unmasked’, is set to explore his career and the allegations of misconduct against him

Actor Kevin Spacey. | Photo Credit: AP/PTI

Kevin Spacey is pushing back against the upcoming Channel 4 documentary Spacey Unmasked, which will explore his career and the allegations of misconduct against him. The documentary is set to premiere in the UK on May 6-7.

"I will not sit back and be attacked by a dying network's one-sided 'documentary' about me in their desperate attempt for ratings," Spacey said in a lengthy post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Channel 4 documentary comes after Spacey was acquitted in July 2023 of nine charges in a UK criminal case.

It is set to air on Max and Investigation Discovery, although no US premiere dates have been announced. In his social media message, Spacey dismissed the British broadcaster as the appropriate platform for addressing his controversial history: "There's a proper channel to handle allegations against me and it's not Channel 4. Each time I have been given the time and a proper forum to defend myself, the allegations have failed under scrutiny and I have been exonerated," the Oscar winner asserted.

Over the last week, I have repeatedly requested that @Channel4 afford me more than 7 days to respond to allegations made against me dating back 48 years and provide me with sufficient details to investigate these matters. Channel 4 has refused on the basis that they feel that…

— Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) May 2, 2024

Spacey mentioned that Channel 4 had provided him with insufficient time to counter accusations made in the documentary before its scheduled premiere dates in the UK on May 6 and 7. The actor assures a detailed response to the British documentary.

He faced nine criminal charges from four different men during his UK trial, including allegations ranging from unwanted touching to performing oral sex on a man while he was asleep, as testified by one individual, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The charges relate to incidents said to have occurred between 2001 and 2013, while Spacey served as artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre from 2004 to 2015.

Spacey Unmasked is scheduled to air on Channel 4 in the UK before its release in the US and other countries. All3Media International is managing international distribution, with Warner Bros. Discovery securing rights for the US and other nations. Directed and produced by Katherine Haywood, Spacey Unmasked has Dorothy Byrne and Mike Lerner as executive producers. The production is in collaboration with Roast Beef Productions (known for Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer) and All3 Media International.

Published - May 03, 2024 05:35 pm IST