Kevin Spacey plots his big theater comeback: Oscar-winning actor ‘toasts’ his court victory and ‘discussed redemption’ over dinner with director Trevor Nunn at Mayfair restaurant
Kevin Spacey plotted his theatrical comeback over a champagne dinner with legendary director Sir Trevor Nunn, it was alleged today.
The Hollywood star was acquitted of all charges in his sexual assault trial last week and hopes to revive his acting career after years in the wilderness.
Spacey was spotted dining with Sir Trevor at the Colony Grill Room at The Beaumont Hotel, Mayfair, where the a la carte menu includes a £480 serving of beluga caviar, while the most expensive bottle of fizz is a 2014 Louis Roederer Cristal , which costs £390.
The pair kicked off their meeting on Monday night over champagne, “toasting their recent courtroom successes,” according to the statement The magazine Fence.
They then allegedly discussed the possibility of Spacey leading a British regional theater after more than a decade as Artistic Director of London’s Old Vic.
The Hollywood star was acquitted of all charges in his sexual assault trial last week and hopes to revive his acting career after years in the wilderness
Sir Trevor – who was artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming head of the Royal National Theater – first began working with Spacey nearly 20 years ago, when he directed him in Richard II
Nunn praised (Spacey’s) innate connection with the audience. In particular, a plan was discussed that would see the Hollywood superstar take on a regional British theater as part of his redemption arc,” the magazine reported.
“So if you’re in a lousy repertory theater somewhere in the province, a mysterious benefactor could be coming your way soon.”
With two Oscars in his pocket for his performances in American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, Spacey was at the height of his potential when explosive sexual assault allegations were leveled against him six years ago.
His once brilliant career suddenly went into freefall when he experienced the humiliation of being fired from the hit Netflix series House of Cards and being removed from Sir Ridley Scott’s film All The Money In The World, as well as huge financial losses.
Yet he always remained confident that he could turn his fortune around, as he once remarked in an interview: ‘In ten years it will be nothing. My work will outlive me, and that’s what will be remembered.”
Last week, a Southwark Crown Court jury acquitted Spacey of offenses involving grabbing, pressing and touching the genitals and buttocks of four victims over their clothing between 2005 and 2013, mostly during his time at the Old Vic.
On the steps of the court after the verdicts were handed down, the American actor thanked the jury, his legal team and his old friend Evan Lowenstein for standing by him.
He said, “I imagine many of you can understand that there is a lot for me to process after what happened today.
“But I would like to say that I am immensely grateful to the jury for taking the time to carefully examine all the evidence and all the facts before reaching a decision.
“I am humbled by today’s outcome. I also want to thank the staff at this courthouse, security, my legal team and Evan Lowenstein for being here every day.”
Spacey was spotted dining with Sir Trevor at the Colony Grill Room at The Beaumont Hotel, Mayfair, where the a la carte menu includes a £480 serving of beluga caviar, while the most expensive bottle of fizz is a 2014 Louis Roederer Cristal , which is £390
In the following days, it was alleged that some of the jury had been taken to Spacey, who thanked them and shook hands with them.
About half a dozen members reportedly waited outside the courthouse to see if they could meet him, even describing it as a “meet and greet” by one journalist.
They were taken back to the foyer to meet Spacey, where he also reportedly “made a short bow to them with his arms crossed over his chest,” Variety reported.
The actor appeared to be crying and thanking the judges, The Sunday Times claimed, and the scene was described as “like watching Spacey greet his fans on the red carpet.”
Sir Trevor – who was artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming head of the Royal National Theater – first began working with Spacey almost 20 years ago, when he directed him in Richard II, before reuniting in 2009 for a production of Inherit the Wind.
Sir Trevor said at the time: ‘Some people are theatrical animals, some are not. You will find many good actors in movies that will never get close to a theater. But Kevin is totally a theater animal.’