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Hollywood shaken by sex scandal involving Kevin Spacey

Tuesday, 31 October 2017 11:43 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 31 October 2017 11:56 AM ]

American actor Kevin Spacey arriving on the red carpet for the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.

Sexual allegations against renowned Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey have shaken the US movie industry, which was already struggling to cover up a similar expose against powerful producer Harvey Weinstein.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said Monday that it would not “honor” Spacey by giving him the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award next month.

The move came after Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making sexual advances on him more than 30 years ago.

Rapp, who was 14 at the time of the assault, said Spacey, then 26 years old, physically carried him into his bed and attempted to initiate sex with the teenaged actor.

The A-list actor claimed in response that he did not recall the incident at all and felt sorry for the effects of what would have been “deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.”

The actor also tried to avert media attention by revealing that he has been a homosexual throughout all these years.

The allegations led video streaming platform Netflix to cancel famous political show House of Cards, which featured Spacey in the leading role.

Media Rights Capital and Netflix, who produce House of Cards, said in a joint statement that they were “deeply troubled” by the news.

“In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time,” the statement said.

PressTV-Weinstein case another example of Hollywood 'open secret'

Police in the US city of Los Angeles have launched an investigation of American film producer Harvey Weinstein involving a possible sexual assault in 2013.

Spacey’s fall from grace came days the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood’s de facto governing body, voted overwhelmingly to expel disgraced American film producer Harvey Weinstein amid mounting accusations of sexual harassment, assault and rape by at least 30 actresses.

The ouster was unprecedented since the academy was founded 90 years ago, turning one of the biggest Oscar players in history into a Hollywood pariah.

Weinstein's films have received more than 81 Oscars, according to The Weinstein Company, which he co-founded with his brother Bob Weinstein in 1979 after selling Miramax.

The 65-year-old movie mogul, who was born in New York City to a Jewish family, has denied the rape allegations, while acknowledging that his behavior “caused a lot of pain.”

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