Dame Judi Dench defended her “good friend” Kevin Spacey and criticized the decision to remove the disgraced actor from the film “All the Money in the World.”
Spacey, an Academy Award-winning actor, was accused of sexual misconduct late last year by several men in the U.S. and U.K. Officials in both countries opened criminal investigations to further explore the claims.
Kevin Spacey sexual assault case reviewed by Los Angeles DA
A sexual assault case against Kevin Spacey is being reviewed by The Los Angeles County District Attorney. This comes six months after Spacey was accused of making a sexual advance on actor Anthony Rapp when Rapp was only 14 years old.
Following the allegations, he was fired from Netflix’s “House of Cards” and replaced by Christopher Plummer in the Ridley Scott film “All the Money in the World. Since the allegations, Spacey has remained away from the limelight.
Dench, 83, discussed Spacey with reporters at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain on Tuesday, Variety reported.
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“I can’t approve, in any way, of the fact that — whatever he has done — that you then start to cut him out of the films,” the actress said. “Are we to do what happened when he was replaced with Christopher Plummer? Are we to do that throughout history? Are we to go back throughout history and anyone who has misbehaved in any way, or who has broken the law, or who has committed some kind of offense, are they always going to be cut out? Are we going to extrude them from our history? I don’t know.”
Actor accuses Kevin Spacey of sexual misconduct
Anthony Rapp claims he was 14 when the Oscar-winning actor made a sexual advance toward him; Spacey says he does not remember but is sorry.
Dench recalled working with Spacey on the 2002 film “The Shipping News” and said the actor was brought her great comfort during a tough time.
“I remember just after my husband died, and I was in a bad way, I went to do ‘The Shipping News’ with Kevin Spacey, and Kevin was an inestimable comfort and never mentioned he knew I was in a bad way,” she remembered. “He cheered me up and kept me going,” she said.
KEVIN SPACEY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE REVIEWED BY LOS ANGELES DA
The Academy Award-winning actress said she couldn’t imagine what Spacey was up to now but called him a “most wonderful actor and a good friend.”
Dench was asked about the #MeToo movement which she called an “extraordinary moment.”
“I think there are many things to be redressed and made right,” she said. “It is an extraordinary moment of change, a sea change at the moment. And there many more parts for women, which is very good indeed, and long may that go on.”
Fox News’ Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
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