Hollywood icon Kevin Spacey, known for his unforgettable performances in "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects," hosted a two-hour master class Monday at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Tel Aviv. During the session, Spacey worked with aspiring actors on classical monologues, offering them a rare glimpse into the craft of one of cinema’s most celebrated talents.
Spacey delivers Masterclass
(Video: Moshe Mizrahi)
The school’s director, Nir Erez, made it clear that attendance wasn’t mandatory, and two students opted not to participate. Spacey, who was recently acquitted of nine sexual assault charges, is still facing a civil lawsuit in the UK related to an alleged 2008 incident. He was expected to leave Israel Tuesday.
Erez explained how the unexpected opportunity to host Spacey came about. “This wasn’t my initiative. The proposal came as part of a support visit Spacey is conducting in Israel, during which he visited communities near the Gaza border. He arrived in the country with British journalist Douglas Murray. Initially, they wanted to collaborate with actors from the Cameri Theatre, but due to the Cameri’s 80th-anniversary celebrations, they didn’t have time and passed his contact information to us. They suggested he hold a master class for our students."
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Erez admitted he approached the situation with caution, given the allegations against Spacey.
“I checked where things stand. I read that he was acquitted in court, though another trial is still pending. Despite my hesitations, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and host the session. However, given the sensitivity surrounding Kevin Spacey, I laid out the facts for the students," he explained.
"I told them, ‘There are accusations against Spacey that he was acquitted of, but there are also new complaints against him. If anyone feels uncomfortable attending the master class, they are not obligated to participate.’ Two students chose not to attend, and of course, I respected their decision. If it weren’t for these issues, hosting a two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor would be a huge privilege for us. Taking everything into account, I ultimately decided to host him, though I wasn’t entirely sure about the decision,” he added.
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Spacey, who earned an Oscar for his role in "American Beauty," has consistently denied the allegations against him, which surfaced during the MeToo movement in 2017. The incidents brought to court reportedly occurred between 2001 and 2013. Last year, a London jury acquitted Spacey of nine sexual assault charges involving four accusers, and several additional lawsuits and charges were dropped.
In 2022, a New York jury also ruled in Spacey’s favor, determining that he did not sexually abuse actor Anthony Rapp, who had accused Spacey of assaulting him in the 1980s when Rapp was just 14 years old. However, a recent documentary series aired six months ago, presenting new testimonies of alleged inappropriate sexual behavior by Spacey spanning five decades.