Kevin Spacey is set to face civil claims of sexual assault brought by three men at the High Court in London, with a trial provisionally scheduled for October of next year.
The men have filed lawsuits against the actor, alleging incidents of sexual assault that occurred between 2000 and 2013.
During a hearing on Wednesday, a judge proposed a preliminary trial date of October 12, 2026. The court is considering whether to consolidate the claims into a single trial or to conduct three separate, consecutive trials.
Mr. Spacey denies all allegations of misconduct. He has formally denied two of the claims and has yet to submit a defense in the third. It’s important to note that he was acquitted of nine sexual offense charges in a separate criminal trial in 2023.
Notably, two of the individuals who accused the Oscar-winning actor during the criminal proceedings have also initiated civil legal actions in the High Court.
One plaintiff, identified only as LNP, alleges that Mr. Spacey “deliberately assaulted” him on approximately 12 occasions between 2000 and 2005.
Another, referred to as GHI, states that he met Mr. Spacey through a workshop at London’s Old Vic theatre and claims to have “suffered psychiatric damage and financial loss” as a consequence of an alleged assault in 2008.
Mr. Spacey served as artistic director of the Old Vic from 2004 to 2013.
This individual originally filed suit against Mr. Spacey in 2022, but the case was suspended following the commencement of criminal charges.
The third claimant, Ruari Cannon, has chosen to waive his right to anonymity.
Mr. Cannon, who appeared in Tennessee Williams’ play “Sweet Bird of Youth” at the Old Vic in 2013, alleges that Mr. Spacey groped him at a party following the show’s press night.
Mr. Cannon participated in the Channel 4 documentary, “Spacey Unmasked,” in 2024.
Mr. Spacey has stated that the allegation is “ridiculous and it never happened.”
Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, representing the three plaintiffs, argued in written submissions that a single trial would be preferable to avoid the necessity of repeated testimony from the men and Mr. Spacey.
The US actor has previously acknowledged “bad behaviour” and admitted to “being too handsy” at times, but has stated that he would not characterize his actions as “groping.”
During his criminal trial in London in 2023, he was acquitted of seven counts of sexual 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.