Kevin Spacey Endorses RFK Jr. — Ahead Of Documentary ...

6 May 2024

Forbes

Topline

Actor Kevin Spacey praised Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him a “loyal friend” who “leaned in” when “the world turned its back” on him in a tweet Monday, the same day a new documentary detailing sexual abuse allegations against Spacey is set to air in the U.K.

Kevin Spacey speaks to press after leaving court at Southwark Crown Court on July 26, 2023 in ... [+] London, England. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Getty Images Key Facts

Spacey called Kennedy Jr. a “formidable fighter for justice” and “a loyal friend that’s not afraid to stand up for what he believes” in a tweet that included a repost of a promotional video for Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign narrated by actor Woody Harrelson.

The endorsement comes as “Spacey Unmasked,” a new documentary detailing sexual abuse and harassment allegations against the actor, is set to air Monday in the U.K.

The documentary comes less than a year after Spacey was acquitted on sexual assault charges in the U.K. and found not liable in two separate cases in the U.S., allegations he has denied.

Spacey is a longtime Democrat who worked on Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign, was a friend of former President Bill Clinton’s and publicly praised former President Barack Obama in interviews when Obama was in the White House and Spacey starred in the Netflix political drama TV series, “House of Cards.”

Crucial Quote

“There’s a lot I can learn from this man,” Spacey tweeted.

What To Watch For

“Spacey Unmasked,” by the publicly-owned broadcast network Channel 4, will reportedly include interviews with 10 individuals who had interactions with Spacey, including nine who have not spoken out previously. The testimonies include incidents that occurred over five decades, including on the set of “House of Cards,” Variety reported. Spacey denounced the documentary as a “desperate attempt for ratings” and accused Channel 4 of failing to give him a “fair opportunity” to defend himself in a post on X last week. In addition to the U.K. court case, Spacey was found not liable for assault and battery in a separate case out of New York in 2022 and in a case against him in Nantucket in 2019. After the initial allegations were made public in 2017—when actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making a sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 years old—Spacey claimed he couldn’t remember the incident and came out for the first time as gay.

Key Background

Kennedy Jr., a lifelong Democrat, switched his party affiliation to independent shortly after announcing his run for president. A former environmental lawyer who leads an anti-vaccine advocacy nonprofit, Kennedy Jr. could sway the results of the election. Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are polling within points of each other and some surveys show Kennedy Jr. with support from up to 13% of voters—though results are often split on whether his candidacy hurts Trump or Biden more. Since he is running as an independent, Kennedy Jr. faces an uphill battle to secure ballot access and has only done so in Michigan, California and Utah so far, according to his campaign.