Netflix severs ties with Spacey amid allegations
LOS ANGELES — Netflix has announced that Kevin Spacey will no longer be a part of “House of Cards” and it’s cutting all other ties with the actor after a series of allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
“Netflix will not be involved with any further production of ‘House of Cards’ that includes Kevin Spacey,” the company said in a statement Friday night.
Netflix said it will work with the show’s production company MRC to evaluate whether it will continue without him.
The 58-year-old Spacey was nominated for Emmy Awards as best dramatic actor during each of the show’s first five seasons but never won. He played a ruthless politician who ascends to the presidency of the United States. Co-star Robin Wright is also a central player on the show, and it could conceivably continue with a focus on her.
Production on the show had already been suspended Tuesday.
Netflix says it will also refuse to release the film “Gore,” in which Spacey stars as the writer Gore Vidal and also acted as producer.
CNN reported that eight current or former “House of Cards” workers say Spacey made the production a “toxic” workplace, and one ex-employee says the actor sexually assaulted him.
Spacey has not been arrested or charged with any crime. His publicist did not return an email seeking comment. A publicist said last week that Spacey is “taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment.”
The Academy Award-winning actor became ensnared in Hollywood’s fast-growing sexual harassment crisis after actor Anthony Rapp alleged Spacey made sexual advances toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 years old. Spacey has said he doesn’t remember such an encounter reported by BuzzFeed News last weekend but apologized if such “drunken behavior” occurred.
The story spurred several others to come forward with similar allegations about Spacey.
London police are reportedly investigating Spacey for a 2008 sexual assault, British media reported Friday. Police did not identify Spacey by name but said the department’s child abuse and sexual offenses unit is investigating the reported assault after it was referred to police earlier this week.
Spacey is the latest highprofile Hollywood figure to lose work and standing in a wave that began when dozens of sexual harassment allegations were reported last month against film mogul Harvey Weinstein.