‘Nice to be back,’ Kevin Spacey says, accepting achievement award in Cannes

Facing new sexual assault allegations in the U.K., actor Kevin Spacey was honored at a benefit gala in Cannes, France, which is currently hosting its prestigious film festival.

Spacey’s appearance raised eyebrows, but he was warmly greeted during a photo shoot.

As reported by AFP, Spacey told the media before the event, “I feel surrounded by so much affection and love. I’ve heard from so many of my friends and colleagues and co-stars in the last week since this award was announced.” He added, “It’s very nice to be back.”

When asked if this was the beginning of a comeback for him, Spacey was quoted as saying, “I’m glad to be working, I’ll tell you that.”

While it’s not directly associated with the festival, the Better World Fund Gala took place Tuesday night at the Carlton Hotel, one of the festival’s premier sites.

The Better World Fund supports “cinema & art at the service of humanity,” focusing on women’s rights, gender equality and education.https://www.betterworld.fund/Previous galas honored actors Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone. This year, it celebrated Spacey’s lifetime achievements, including Academy Awards for The Usual Suspects (1995) and American Beauty (1999) and his roles in Se7en (1995) and House of Cards (2013-2018).

“Kevin’s extraordinary contributions to the art of cinema have left a mark on audiences and filmmakers alike,” Manuel Collas De La Roche, the president and founder of the Better World Fund, said in a statement. “His talent, depth, and commitment to storytelling exemplify the transformative power of film. It is with great excitement that we celebrate his legacy and presence at this meaningful gathering.”

This is just the latest lifetime achievement award the 65-year-old has received since his acting career was derailed by a number of sexual misconduct allegations and trials. Since 2017, more than 30 men have accused Spacey of sexual assault or inappropriate behavior, including actor Guy Pearce, who claims Spacey behaved inappropriately toward him on the set of the 1997 film LA Confidential. On X, Spacey posted a video telling Pearce to “grow up. You are not a victim.”

In 2018, Spacey faced felony charges of indecent assault and battery against an 18-year-old man, though prosecutors dropped the case after the witness stopped testifying.

Actor Anthony Rapp claimed he was 14 when Spacey molested him. In 2020, Rapp sued him for $40 million in damages in a civil court, but two years later, a jury found Spacey not liable. After that, Netflix fired Spacey from his role on the hit series House of Cards, and Ridley Scott replaced him with another actor in the film All the Money in the World.

The following year in London, Spacey was acquitted of multiple counts of sexual assault and indecent assault incidents in the U.K. that dated back to the period between 2001 and 2013, when Spacey served as the artistic director of London’s Old Vic theater. In February of this year, actor Ruari Cannon filed a civil lawsuit at London’s High Court against Spacey and the Old Vic, although details have not yet been revealed.

In recent years, Spacey has quietly returned to acting, mostly in Italian films, including a role as the devil in the 2024 thriller The Contract. His trip to Cannes and the Better World Fund award were organized by producers of the British independent film The Awakening, described by Camelot Films as a “conspiracy action thriller.”

Producers from the production company are at Cannes to sell the film, and brought Spacey to meet with potential buyers. Camelot Films is one of the sponsors of the Better World Fund gala.

Spacey’s appearance during the Cannes Film Festival came as Cannes officials declared French actor Theo Navarro-Mussy a persona non grata on the Promenade de la Croisette. The 34-year-old actor faces rape allegations against him from three of his former partners. Their complaints were dismissed for lack of evidence, but they reportedly plan to file a new complaint. The festival’s opening was marred by the sexual assault conviction of one of France’s most iconic cinematic figures, Gerard Depardieu.