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Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has spoken out as he prepares to collect a film award in Italy this week, days after denying seven sex offense charges.
Spacey, who saw a series of accusations against him in the wake of the #MeToo movement, will be honored by Italy’s National Museum of Cinema, a decision that has proven controversial in the country.
After denying seven more sexual offenses against a man in the early 2000s in a London court on Friday, the Hollywood pariah told Italian news agency Ansa that he has tried to live each day as it comes, and not has ‘gone to live in a cave’.
“I live my life every day, I go to the restaurant, I meet people, I drive, I play tennis, I have always met generous, genuine and compassionate people,” said the 63-year-old.
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has spoken out as he prepares to collect a film award in Italy this week, days after denying seven sex offense charges. Pictured: Spacey is seen walking the streets of Turin on Friday, the same day as his virtual court appearance in London.
Spacey has been photographed making the most of Italy. He was in the stands to watch Torino FC take on Spezia Calcio at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Sunday, where club president Urbano Cairo (left) presented him with a Torino FC football shirt with his name on the back.
“I have not hidden, I have not gone to live in a cave,” he added. “What you see in the media is not real life, I am not going to get my public life back because I have never left it.”
Among the accusations against the Hollywood star are sexual contact, touching clothing and forcing the complainant’s hand against his private parts on clothing.
Spacey faced the charges at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, having previously denied five allegations relating to three other men who are now in their 30s and 40s.
The new charges include three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, on unspecified dates between 2001 and 2005.
Spacey has been photographed making the most of Italy. He was in the stands to watch Torino FC take on Spezia Calcio at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Sunday.
There, the club’s president, Urbano Cairo, presented him with a Torino FC soccer jersey with his name on the back.
In addition to receiving the lifetime achievement award on Monday from the Italian film museum, he is also set to give a masterclass session.
Speaking in November when the award was announced, museum president Enzo Ghigo said: “We are honored that such a prestigious guest as Kevin Spacey has chosen Turin and our museum for this long-awaited return to a public event.” .
‘Now, among all the cities in the world, he chose Turin for a master class. He couldn’t give us a better gift than this”, also said Domenico De Gaetano, director of the national museum who will moderate the master class.
The decision to award Spacey the gong has been the subject of widespread controversy with the actor at the center of several allegations of sexual abuse.
But the actor seemed in good spirits on the day of his virtual court appearance on Friday, seen walking the streets of Turin waving to fans.
Court artist sketch of Elizabeth Cook of actor Kevin Spacey appearing via video link from Italy at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has denied seven more sexual offenses against a man in the early 2000s. Pictured: Spacey leaves the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court on July 14, 2022
Spacey, who appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London via video link, confirmed his identity and pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him.
He now faces a total of 12 charges involving four men between 2001 and 2013.
The two-time Academy Award winner, known for his starring roles in American Beauty, The Usual Suspects and House Of Cards, appeared at the Old Bailey in July last year to deny all five of the above charges.
He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
The first two charges relate to the alleged sexual assault of a man, now in his 40s, in London on March 20, 2005.
The second alleged victim, a man now in his 30s, claims he was sexually assaulted by Spacey in London on August 31, 2008.
Spacey also faces one felony sex charge for causing a person to engage in nonconsensual penetrative sexual activity in relation to the second alleged victim.
He faces a fourth charge of sexual assault against the third complainant, now in his 30s, in Gloucestershire in April 2013.
The two-time Academy Award winner, known for starring in American Beauty, The Usual Suspects and House Of Cards, appeared at the Old Bailey in July last year to deny all five of the above charges (pictured in 2000 with his Oscar for Best Actor)
Speaking of Spacey’s initial five charges, his defense attorney Patrick Gibbs, KC, said: “Mr. Spacey strongly denies any wrongdoing in this case.”
The actor has vowed to “establish his innocence.”
Spacey has been granted unconditional bail and will face a four-week trial on all charges on June 6. A pretrial review is scheduled to take place on April 5.
In October last year, the actor, who was artistic director of The Old Vic between 2004 and 2015, won a civil lawsuit in the United States accusing him of an “unwanted sexual advance” at a party in 1986.
In that lawsuit, Spacey “categorically denied” the allegations, saying that he “did not harbor any sexual interest or desire” at the time or since the alleged incident.
On October 20 of last year, a jury found Spacey not responsible and the New York court dismissed the sexual assault lawsuit against the actor.