Kevin Spacey has to pay $ 31 million to the producer of House of Cards

Ever since reports of sexual harassment and / or abuse started raining down on her head, Kevin Spacey Not only did he run out of many jobs, but he had to go through several courts to give his position on the facts. And now he has received, perhaps, the worst news: a judge has ordered him to pay the manufacturer of House of cardsMRC, nearly $ 31 million for alleged sexual misconduct behind the scenes of the series Netflix.

Everyone will remember that Spacey, winner of two Oscars, was expelled from the sixth and final season of House of Cards, where he played Frank Underwood, President of the United States. The reason? Faced with allegations of assaulting and sexually abusing young men, including a series production assistant, who said Spacey attempted him. Hence the investigation launched by MRC.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mel Red Recana upheld an award previously issued by an arbitrator in October 2020, which consisted of approximately $ 29.5 million in damages and an additional $ 1.5 million in costs and fees.

MRC’s argument was, to say the least, curious. He argued that Spacey owed them millions in lost profits because his misconduct forced them to cut him from the sixth season of House of Cards, cutting the season from 13 episodes to 8.

But in ruling in favor of the producer, the referee found Spacey’s behavior to be a material violation of his acting and executive production agreements.

The appeal that didn’t work

Earlier this year, Spacey’s attorneys sought to quash the $ 31 million arbitration award, saying his behavior amounted to nothing more than “sexual advances” and “innocent jokes” and did not violate the law. MRC’s anti-harassment policy. .

A career of success and accusation

Winner of two Oscars, for Best Supporting Actor for The usual strangersand Best Lead Actor for American beautySpacey was first charged with misconduct in 2017. It was in an article by buzzfeedin which actor Anthony Rapp claimed that Spacey had given him a sexual advance 31 years earlier, in 1986. Rapp was 14 at the time.

Almost immediately, the production of House of cards It was discontinued after two days. And within days, it was CNN that ran a story accusing Spacey of creating a “toxic” environment on set. He was accused of making rude comments and touching the young series staff without consent.

The referee saw the videotaped testimony and found that Spacey violated the MRC’s sexual harassment policy against five members of the House of cards. But Spacey’s attorneys Stephen G. Larson and Jonathan E. Phillips say it wasn’t part of the CNN story and came to light after a subsequent internal investigation.

In order for the actor to get away with paying the $ 31 million, they argue that MRC’s decision to drop two episodes of the series, which had already gone into production, and start over was forced by the decision of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. .