‘IT MAKES MY SKIN CRAWL’
Did Kevin Spacey’s creepy American Beauty Oscars speech in 2000 hint at allegations of sexual abuse?
KEVIN Spacey may have hinted at his "behaviour" during his Best Actor acceptance speech at the 2000 Oscars for his role in American Beauty, according to a US playwright.
The controversy surrounding Spacey has sparked a conversation with social media users saying the 1999 movie is "creepier" in light of the recent sexual abuse allegations against him.
3
It comes after actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of trying to seduce him 30 years ago when he was just 14 years old.
In American Beauty, Spacey plays Lester Burnham, an older man who becomes obsessed with his teenage daughter's friend Angela, played by Mena Suvari, to the point he has sexual fantasies about her.
Spacey, who was 40 at the time, won the Best Actor Oscar in the movie at the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000.
But many now have taken to social media to point out the actor, who was 40 at the time, may have hinted at the allegations during his acceptance speech.
3
Kevin Spacey starring in 1999 film American Beauty for which he won best actor
Spacey said during his speech: "To my friends, for pointing out my worst qualities. I know you do it because you love me. And that's why I loved playing Lester, because we got to see all of his worst qualities and we still grew to love him.
"This movie to me is all about how any single act from any single person put out of context is damnable. But the joy of this movie is that it is real beauty. We found real beauty in this extraordinary script by Sam Mendes by Alan Ball. It feels like he wrote it though, doesn't it?"
He added: "I am very proud to be an actor, and I have tried very hard to protect my work; and I am stunned and a bit speechless."
US playwright Christopher Shinn tweeted about Spacey's speech saying: "I always felt Kevin Spacey's 2000 Oscar speech alluded to/minimised his misconduct. I bet it'll be played a lot once more stories emerge."
3
Criticism of the film has also increased since the allegations made by Rapp.
One Twitter user wrote: "American Beauty is one of my favourite films, but now watching Kevin Spacey's character prey on an underage girl makes my skin crawl."
Responding to the allegations made by Rapp, Spacey said he was "beyond horrified" but did not remember the encounter.
Rapp said Spacey attempted to seduce him after a party in 1986, when he was 14 years old.
He said Spacey had laid down on top of him, adding in an interview with BuzzFeed News: "I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."
Spacey said he owed Rapp a "sincere apology" for what he said would have been "deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour".
Spacey also announced that he was now living "as a gay man" but was widely criticised for choosing this moment to come out.
The 58-year-old actor since been stripped of an International Emmy Award and his acclaimed Netflix series House of Cards will stop after the next series following sex assault allegations made against him.
Most read on news
Topics