Kevin Spacey Gets True Crime Documentary Series On Max, See The Evidence
Get ready for a gossip-worthy development in the world of entertainment and legal drama: a documentary detailing the tumultuous life and career of Kevin Spacey—including and especially the allegations of misconduct made against him—will premiere on Max, via Channel 4. Having been acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery, the series, Spacey Unmasked, ensures an unprecedented glimpse into first-ever interviews and never-before-seen evidence, all surrounding the notorious allegations.
Over 30 men have made sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey.
Katherine Haywood directed the series, which was produced by Oscar-nominated Roast Beef Productions. First commissioned by Channel 4 in 2022, the series will premiere on May 6 and May 7 in the U.K. As of now, the release dates for the U.S. and global markets remain under wraps. Expect anticipation to mount, correlated with more (or at least longer) clips from the Kevin Spacey doc, as the British premiere dates near.
The compelling teaser uploaded on YouTube is also tantalizingly brief. Nonetheless, we know the documentary adopts a forensic approach to Spacey’s rise from a major Broadway star to an even more formidable Hollywood heavyweight. Predictably, the documentary goes on to detail the actor’s dramatic fall amidst allegations leveled against him for inappropriate sexual behavior.
In 2022, Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp lost a $40 million lawsuit against Kevin Spacey. Rapp claims Spacey assaulted him in 1986, when the younger actor was 14 and Spacey was 26.
The most racy and gossip-inducing aspect of the series will doubtlessly be its interviews with several men unconnected to the U.K. trial in which the actor was acquitted last year. In the docuseries, the men speak out and on camera for the first time. Their interviews should provide new insights into the ongoing, controversial saga.
The two-part series will feature more than Kevin Spacey’s public and professional life; those following the drama—or just fans of the actor in general—will be treated to the more personal, hidden aspects of Spacey, including lesser-known complexities many of his fans and critics might be unfamiliar with. Some of this will constitute scrutinizing his life from childhood onward, as well as his early successes, his rapid rise to fame, and eventually and inevitably his very public fall from grace in the public eye and subsequent legal battle.
The most important and recent developments in the dramatic narrative occurred when, in July 2023, Spacey was acquitted of nine charges in the ultra-high-profile London trial. This verdict came on the heels of his separate victory in a $40 million civil lawsuit brought by actor Anthony Rapp. However, despite these legal wins, the documentary will air nonetheless–its aim seems to present a broad, wide-angle view of Kevin Spacey’s alleged behavior through previously unheard voices.
All3Media International oversees the film’s international rights and has locked down a multi-territory deal that ensures the series will enjoy airtime in various continents and on an array of streaming platforms.
Kevin Spacey won his first Oscar in 1996, for Best Supporting Actor, thanks to his career-changing performance in The Usual Suspects. He made a Best Leading Actor win 4 years later, for his part in American Beauty.
While it’s unclear how damning and biased–or fair-minded and unbiased–the docuseries will be, it should reignite the debate surrounding Spacey’s alleged acts, alongside the broader implications of the #MeToo movement. It was in the throes of this movement, in 2017, that the allegations against Kevin Spacey were first brought to light.
The project should also thematically address the ongoing struggle inside Hollywood—and beyond—to reconcile talent and prestige with personal misconduct. Of course, the recent docuseries Quiet on Set similarly contended with this theme.
