Actors have thrown their support behind Kevin Spacey following the release of a new documentary that features fresh allegations.

Speaking to The Telegraph, actress Sharon Stone said she couldn’t wait to see Spacey back at work, calling him a “genius” who is “so elegant and fun, generous to a fault” and knowledgable about acting.

The publication also spoke with actor Liam Neeson, who admitted he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the allegations made against the “sensitive” Spacey.

“He is also one of our finest artists in the theatre and on camera. Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly,” Neeson said.

In his own words, Spacey said he lost his job and reputation after he was accused of sexual assault back in 2017. He was tried in the US, where he was acquitted, and in the UK, where he was found not guilty.

The recent calls from his peers to let him back into the industry come after the release of a new documentary, which spoke to several men, all who allege sexual misconduct.

Kevin Spacey says he has a lot to process after being acquitted. Photo: Getty

Spacey Unmasked

In the two-part documentary, Spacey Unmasked, nine men made allegations about the actor’s conduct that weren’t heard in either of the trials in the US and UK.

With the exception of actor Travis Aaron Wade, all of the men who feature in the documentary are identified only by their first names.

The allegations made in Spacey Unmasked span decades. There were employees from the Old Vic who spoke out and cast members from House of Cards.

Greg, who was a year below Spacey in high school, alleged one time he was driving with Spacey, who reached over and grabbed Greg’s genitals “with intention” and “purpose”.

“I was in a sense trapped. It was a very aggressive sexual move for that age group,” Greg said.

Ex-marine Scott said he met Spacey in 1998 at the Viper Room. Scott had worked on Saving Private Ryan and admitted he was star-struck when he met the actor.

The same night, after the party was moved to a home, Spacey asked Scott for a hug, had him in a “bear grip” and then allegedly started grinding against him.

The two then went to see Saving Private Ryan the next day and Scott alleged Spacey began “pleasuring himself” in the cinema.

“This guy is rubbing one out during the invasion in Normandy and finally, he reaches over and grabs my hand and tries to get me to help out,” Scott alleged.

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Spacey had ‘inner self-hatred’

A few of the men spoke about how they felt they could not come forward with their experiences because they didn’t want to out Spacey.

The documentary acknowledges there was speculation regarding Spacey’s sexuality for years, but he didn’t come out as gay until after Anthony Rapp came forward with his allegations in 2017.

It dawned on Scott when the two met again at another bar that Spacey struggled with his sexuality. At the bar, there were a group of men who were gay and Spacey allegedly mocked them.

“It was kind of my first indication that maybe he was uncomfortable in his own skin, some sort of inner self-hatred,” Scott said.

The comeback

It seems Spacey has been plotting a comeback for some time.

Spacey Unmasked was commissioned in 2022 and in response to it, Spacey announced he had something up his sleeve.

“I’m honoured to be starring in my first film with Warner Brothers in many years. I hope the Academy takes note of some of the great acting by the lesser known cast,” he said in a statement given to Variety.

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In the aftermath of the allegations in 2017, he was fired from House of Cards and Ridley Scott literally erased him from a film.

The trial in the UK wrapped up last year, during which he was described as an alleged “sexual bully” who groped three men and performed a sex act on the fourth, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Supporters of Spacey include Stephen Fry, who criticised the documentary and F Murray Abraham and Sir Trevor Nunn, who wrote letters of support.