Kevin Spacey has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sexual assault.
The actor participated via video link at a hearing about his alleged sex offences at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Friday afternoon.
The hearing was in relation to a second set of charges against Spacey that were made in November. The new charges span three offenses of indecent assault, three offenses of sexual assault and one offense of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. They are all in relation to one male complainant, and the alleged assaults span a period from 2001 to 2004.
During the hearing, a sombre-looking Spacey spoke only to confirm his full name, Kevin Spacey Fowler, and to plead “not guilty” to all seven counts.
Spacey’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs, also appeared on video link, and appeared to agree to a motion to join Spacey’s pair of indictments. This would allow one trial to address all counts against Spacey, rather than separate trials. Spacey’s defence however has the option to request separate trials but this must be made by March 24.
Meanwhile, a pre-trial hearing was also tentatively set for April 5.
In December 2022, the “House of Cards” actor similarly participated via videolink at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and spoke briefly, confirming his name, date of birth and London address. At the time he did not indicate any pleas. The actor faces a total of 12 charges.
The first set of charges brought against Spacey last year were for for five counts of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to all five counts in July. The charges relate to the alleged sexual assault of three men when Spacey lived in London and served as the artistic director of the Old Vic theater.
Spacey is set to stand trial in the U.K. on June 6 for these counts — a date that is so far still confirmed. The trial is expected to last four weeks. There is some flexibility on the trial date, the judge said, but it has to conclude by the end of July.
The actor was granted unconditional bail ahead of Friday’s virtual appearance.
On Jan. 16, Spacey is due to deliver a masterclass at Italy’s National Cinema Museum and then receive their lifetime achievement award.
In October, a New York jury sided with Spacey in a $40 million civil lawsuit, finding that the Oscar winner did not molest actor Anthony Rapp when he was a teenager and is not liable for battery.
Rapp first made his claims in a 2017 BuzzFeed article, in which he said that Spacey lifted him up, placed him on his bed, and pinned Rapp down in a sexually aggressive manner. The alleged assault took place after a party at Spacey’s New York City apartment in 1986. Rapp was 14 years old at the time and Spacey was 26. The two met while appearing in Broadway productions — Rapp in “Precious Sons” with Ed Harris, Spacey in a Jack Lemmon-led revival of “Long Days Journey Into Night.”