Kevin Spacey Victim Outraged by His New Movie Role of Sex Crimes Detective

Kevin Spacey has booked his first film role since sexual assault allegations against him surfaced more than three years ago, though the new credit isn’t without controversy. After news broke this week that the actor is set to return to the big screen as a detective investigating a sex crime in director Franco Nero’s upcoming Italian film L’uomo Che Disegno Dio (The Man Who Drew God), Mark Ebenhoch, one of Spacey’s accusers, is blasting the decision.

Ebenhoch addressed Spacey’s casting in the film when speaking with TMZ, telling the outlet that his first thought after hearing the news was, “What the hell?” In a 2017 BuzzFeed news report, Ebenhoch alleged an incident with Spacey occurred on the set of the 1995 film Outbreak. Ebenhoch said the actor’s trailer was considered a “harem” and Spacey had young male crew members solicit Ebenhoch for sexual acts, which he refused. Given that incident and the other allegations of sexual misconduct against Spacey, Ebenhoch said he finds the actor’s casting “absurd,” especially given the plot of the film. Ebenhoch added that the casting decision is a sign of arrogance and irresponsibility.

Ebenhoch was one of several people to come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against the actor in recent years. Spacey also faced allegations from Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard Dreyfuss, who claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old in 2008. One anonymous man said that he was in a sexual relationship with Spacey at age 14. The man said he considered Spacey a “pedophile.” Actor Robert Cavazos said Spacey used his position as the artistic director the Old Vic Theatre to sexually harass young men looking for career advice for 12 years. Star Trek actor and Broadway veteran Anthony Rapp, meanwhile, was among Spacey’s first accusers. Rapp accused Spacey of initiating unwanted sexual advances in 1985 when Rapp was only 14.

Amid the allegations, Spacey was fired from the final season of the Netflix hit series House of Cards and was digitally removed from Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World and replaced by Christopher Plummer. The upcoming film marks his first credit since 2018’s Billionaire Boys Club, and while the film is already mired in controversy due to Spacey’s involvement, the director told ABC News he was “very happy” to have the actor involved.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.