Kevin Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor, has taken to the stand at Southwark Crown Court in London to give evidence in his trial for sexual assault.
Spacey, who has been embroiled in controversy since 2017, has denied using his power to get people into bed, and rejected claims that he is a sexual bully.
During cross-examination by the prosecution, Spacey was questioned about an alleged incident at a West End theatre in the early 2000s.
He claimed to have "no memory" of meeting the accuser and called him "a liar from beginning to end." When asked why the man would lie, Spacey suggested it was for financial gain.
The prosecution also suggested that Spacey's behavior towards men was "essentially the golden boy of the London theatre scene at the time" and that the alleged victims would be "unlikely to be believed." However, Spacey denied that he was a "big sexual bully," responding "That's your term." In response to claims that he had grabbed a man's crotch, Spacey said "No," and denied that he had performed a sex act on a man while he was asleep.
When asked about whether he had ignored signs from the accusers, Spacey admitted that he had "definitely misread" the signs from one of them.
Spacey also gave his account of an alleged incident with a man he had developed a "flirtatious" relationship with, saying that any touching was "in my mind romantic." He denied assaulting the man, but acknowledged that his relationship with him was "somewhat intimate." The trial continues, with Spacey facing 12 sexual offence charges against four men between 2001 and 2013.
All four accusers are entitled to lifelong anonymity under the law.
During cross-examination by the prosecution, Spacey was questioned about an alleged incident at a West End theatre in the early 2000s.
He claimed to have "no memory" of meeting the accuser and called him "a liar from beginning to end." When asked why the man would lie, Spacey suggested it was for financial gain.
The prosecution also suggested that Spacey's behavior towards men was "essentially the golden boy of the London theatre scene at the time" and that the alleged victims would be "unlikely to be believed." However, Spacey denied that he was a "big sexual bully," responding "That's your term." In response to claims that he had grabbed a man's crotch, Spacey said "No," and denied that he had performed a sex act on a man while he was asleep.
When asked about whether he had ignored signs from the accusers, Spacey admitted that he had "definitely misread" the signs from one of them.
Spacey also gave his account of an alleged incident with a man he had developed a "flirtatious" relationship with, saying that any touching was "in my mind romantic." He denied assaulting the man, but acknowledged that his relationship with him was "somewhat intimate." The trial continues, with Spacey facing 12 sexual offence charges against four men between 2001 and 2013.
All four accusers are entitled to lifelong anonymity under the law.