Kevin Spacey’s criminal trial in the UK over multiple sexual assault allegations began on Wednesday.
The trial, which is expected to last four weeks, started at London’s central Southwark Crown Court. Spacey arrived at the court around 9 a.m. wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt, and pink tie.
The first day of the trial was mostly dedicated to getting the legal logistics in order. Judge Mark Wall swore in a jury of 12 (actually 14, with two people serving as spares). The case was then adjourned until Friday morning.
Spacey, 63, faces 12 charges from four different men, all dating between 2001 and 2013. The charges include seven counts of sexual assault, three counts of indecent assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
The allegations relate to the period when Spacey was the artistic director of the Old Vic theater in London. He has denied all of the charges.
In his opening remarks to the jury, Judge Wall acknowledged the amount of press interest in the case and urged jurors to avoid media coverage where possible.
The trial is the first in the UK faced by Spacey since accusations of sexual assault first broke in 2017. It could have a significant impact on his career, which has been on hiatus since the allegations were made.
Spacey’s career took a nosedive following the initial allegations. He was fired from his starring role on the Netflix series “House of Cards” and was replaced in the film “All the Money in the World.” He has since appeared in a few small independent films, but his career has never fully recovered.
If found guilty of any of the charges against him, Spacey could face a prison sentence. However, he has maintained his innocence and has said he expects to be cleared of all charges.
Earlier this month, Spacey spoke to the German magazine ZEITmagazin and said he anticipated working again almost immediately if he is found not guilty in the UK trial. “I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London,” Spacey said. “The second that happens, they’re ready to move forward.”
