A new British documentary series, “Spacey Unmasked,” is leveling a fresh wave of sexual assault allegations against actor Kevin Spacey from a number of previously unheard accusers.
The documentary, which is a two-part exposé premiering Monday on Max, features on-camera interviews with 10 men who claim they were victims of groping, massaging or other inappropriate touching by the Oscar-winner over a span of five decades.
None of the individuals making accusations in the documentary were involved in Spacey’s recent legal battles, where he was ultimately cleared of criminal sexual assault charges in the U.S. and U.K. However, their disturbing testimonies attempt to portray a pattern of predatory behavior by the actor throughout his acclaimed career.
In the documentary, “Spacey Unmasked,” the alleged victims, mostly identified only by their first names, provide graphic details of purported incidents. They range from an unnamed high school classmate claiming Spacey sexually assaulted him as a teen to young actors and writers alleging Spacey leveraged his Hollywood clout to solicit sexual favors while dangling potential career opportunities.
“You just felt like you were getting pulled in,” says one accuser, actor Travis Wade. “It was more of a fear that if I don’t leave here in a good light, this could cost me my career.”
Many of the men say they were starstruck by Spacey’s immense fame and feared professional repercussions if they rejected his advances. Several claim he demonstrated an initial interest in mentoring them before becoming physically aggressive after alleged assaults occurred.
The documentary traces Spacey’s rise and downfall amid the #MeToo reckoning, speaking to entertainment journalists who covered his legal battles. It theorizes his alleged behavior may have roots in a traumatic childhood with an abusive, Nazi-supporting father, based on interviews with Spacey’s brother and others who knew him growing up.
Throughout “Spacey Unmasked,” the filmmakers lean into Spacey’s own philosophies about fully embodying characters and “wearing a mask” as an actor to suggest he may have adopted darker personas behind closed doors.
The docuseries concludes by addressing Spacey’s recent courtroom victories, including his acquittal last year on charges he sexually assaulted four men in the U.K. between 2001-2013. Prosecutors had alleged he was a “sexual bully” who weaponized his fame and status.
While Spacey continues to face a civil trial next year over other U.K. allegations, he remains defiant. In a statement included in the documentary, he states he has “consistently denied—and now successfully defended—numerous allegations” and been “able to source evidence undermining the allegations.”
In a separate interview, Spacey told a broadcaster Dan Wootton:
“I take full responsibility for my past behavior and my actions. But I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologize to anyone who’s made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me.”
As “Spacey Unmasked” rekindles the conversation around the actor’s checkered personal life, it remains to be seen if this newest round of accusers will lead to further legal consequences.
