Entertainment

Kevin Spacey Foundation UK to close after sexual harassment allegations

The actor has faced an avalanche of allegations of sexual harassment since October.
The actor has faced an avalanche of allegations of sexual harassment since October. The actor has faced an avalanche of allegations of sexual harassment since October.

The Kevin Spacey Foundation UK will close on Wednesday in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations against the actor.

Trustees of the charity said the work of the organisation is “no longer viable”.

The foundation, which helped to identify and encourage young, emerging artists and give them training and resources in order to thrive in the acting industry, was set up in 2011 by Spacey.

A statement posted on its official website said: “The trustees have reached the conclusion that the work of the Kevin Spacey Foundation UK is no longer viable and as such the foundation will be closing on the 28 February 2018.

The Kevin Spacey Foundation UK
The Kevin Spacey Foundation UK The Kevin Spacey Foundation UK statement (Screengrab) (Lucy Mapstone)

“The Trustees would like to thank all their partners, artists and organisations for the great work that has been done in association with the Foundation.

“The Trustees hope that the objects of the charity will be taken forward by other organisations.”

The foundation is reported to have a branch in the US, but this was not mentioned in the statement.

The Kevin Spacey Foundation UK was run by Steven Winter, who worked with Spacey at the Old Vic theatre in London.

The Oscar-winning actor is being investigated by Scotland Yard over three complaints of sexual assault and was one of the first Hollywood stars to face accusations in the fallout of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

First to go public with allegations was actor Anthony Rapp who said he was 14 when Spacey, then 26, made a sexual advance to him in 1986.

Spacey said he did not remember the encounter but apologised for any “inappropriate drunken behaviour”.

An avalanche of claims followed and the Old Vic theatre, where Spacey was artistic director between 2004 and 2015, found 20 people claimed they had been subjected to inappropriate behaviour from the actor.

Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer in Sir Ridley Scott’s All The Money In The World after the allegations came to light.

Netflix series House Of Cards, which previously featured Spacey as the leading character, recently resumed production three months after being frozen.