‘Spacey Unmasked’: Kevin Spacey Documentary Explained, Plus How to Watch
Kevin Spacey's house of cards came crashing down in October 2017, when stage and screen actor Anthony Rapp accused the Academy Award winner of making a sexual advance at him when he was 14 years old and Spacey was 26.
While Spacey's acting career was put on pause due to the allegations against him — he said that he did not recall the alleged encounter with Rapp — a jury ultimately found that Spacey did not molest Rapp, and the actor was found not liable on all counts (Rapp was ordered to pay Spacey $39,089 in damages).
Additional men came forward to accuse Spacey of sexual assault, and the actor was on trial in 2023 in the U.K. He faced 12 charges of sexual assault involving four men, but denied the claims made against him and was found not guilty of nine counts of alleged sexual assault (the other charges were thrown out).
Spacey's story will now be televised in the two-part series Spacey Unmasked, which was commissioned by Channel 4 in 2022 prior to his recent acquittal and is slated to begin airing in May; the first trailer was released Friday, April 26.
In Touch shares everything to know about the upcoming documentary.
What Is 'Spacey Unmasked'?
As per the documentary's description, shared with Variety on Friday, April 26, "Spacey Unmasked is a forensic look at a man who was once one of the most admired and respected actors in the world. Featuring never-seen-before interviews and archive, the series examines his life from childhood to early success on Broadway and subsequent meteoric rise to stardom. Kevin Spacey's spectacular fall from grace came amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior."
It continues: "In 2023 Spacey was acquitted of sexual offenses against four men in a U.K. trial. This two-part series will investigate Spacey's conduct and talks to multiple men unconnected to that case about their experiences with Kevin Spacey, almost all of whom have never spoken before."
Directed and produced by Katherine Haywood and executive produced by Dorothy Byrne and Mike Lerner, Spacey Unmasked was produced by Roast Beef Productions in association with All3 Media International.
When Will 'Spacey Unmasked' Air, and How Do You Watch It?
Spacey Unmasked is slated to air on May 6 and 7 at 9 p.m. local time on Channel 4 in the U.K. According to Variety, who first reported the news, the documentary has a multi-territory deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes exclusive territory rights to Spacey Unmasked for the U.S. on ID and Max. A U.S. airdate has not yet been announced.
It is also slated to stream in other countries, but airdates aside from its premiere in the U.K., have not yet been announced.
What Was Kevin Spacey's Response?
In response to the upcoming documentary, which will feature interviews with multiple men — not connected to the U.K. trial — speaking for the first time about their experiences with the House of Cards actor, Spacey told Variety, "I'm honored to be starring in my first film with Warner Brothers in many years. I hope the Academy takes note of some of the great acting by the lesser known cast."
What Were the Allegations Against Kevin Spacey?
Spacey was accused of sexual assault in 2017, when Rent star Rapp alleged in an interview with Buzzfeed that Spacey made inappropriate sexual advances on him when he was underage. "He was trying to seduce me," Rapp claimed. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."
In response, the American Beauty actor shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he did not "remember the encounter," but apologized for "what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior" if he did "behave then as [Rapp] describes." Spacey simultaneously came out as a "gay man" in the same post, sparking fierce criticism from the LGBTQ+ community.
Amid the headlines, Spacey sought treatment and was dropped from various projects.
In 2022, Spacey was found not liable for battery in connection to Rapp's claims due to insufficient evidence. The following year at London's Southwark Crown Court, Spacey was found not guilty of nine charges of sexual assault (three charges were already thrown out). Spacey has maintained his innocence.
