Last week Kevin Spacey was named by Anthony Rapp as the man he said had tried to sleep with him when he was just 14 (Rapp had told the story year before to The Advocate, but the name of the older man was redacted). Spacey may have hoped that his subsequent ‘apology’ and coming out would minimise the impact on his career, but instead he has been hit with a firestorm of accusations and anger.
Many were furious that as part of his ‘apology’ he also came out as gay, which to many looked like an attempt to deflect attention from the allegations. He also gave a gift to homophobes by both equating homosexuality and pedophilia, and saying that he ‘chooses’ to live as a gay man.
He has also been hit with a multitude of other allegation, both from those who, like Rapp, say he targeted them while they were underage, and those who says he sexually harassed them when they were young men. London’s Old Vic Theatre, where Spacey was artistic director for a decade, has even set up a confidential phoneline for anyone those who wany support, against a background of stories that he sexually harassed many of the young actors who worked there.
Spacey himself has kept a low profile, with his only post ‘apology’ communication coming via his agents, who released a statement saying, ‘Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment. No other information is available at this time.’
The allegations came just as Spacey was starting to shoot Season 6 of House Of Cards. While there was already talk that this would mark the end of the show, Netflix has now confirmed that and also severed ties with the actor, saying “Netflix will not be involved with any further production of House of Cards that includes Kevin Spacey.” Although they still hope to make a sixth season of the hit series, they will now look at ways of killing Spacey’s character off before filming restarts. They may cancel the series instead, and are said to be exploring the possibility of spin-offs. Netflix was also backing a Gore Vidal biopic staring Spacey, but that has also been cancelled.
Media Right Capital, the production company behind House Of Cards, is also looking at a series of allegation about inappropriate behaviour on the set of the award-winning show. They say, “While we continue the ongoing investigation into the serious allegations concerning Kevin Spacey’s behavior on the set of ‘House of Cards,’ he has been suspended, effective immediately. MRC, in partnership with Netflix, will continue to evaluate a creative path forward for the program during the hiatus.”
At the moment Spacey’s career is essentially dead, and it’s difficult to imagine there’s any way back for him. Indeed, with some of his accusers alleging serious crimes, he may be spending a lot of time in court.
Sideways and About Schmidt director Alexander Payne has wanted to make Downsizing for a long time. It’s only now he’s managed to, with those who’ve seen it suggesting that this is Payne on a larger scale than we’ve seen before, but still with his idiosyncratic take on things.
While there have been many movies in the last century that have been held up as the world film ever made. However, the one that’s made the strongest run for that title in the last 20 years is probably Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 movie The Room. Met with bemused derision and anger on its initial release, it fast became a cult sensation with audiences invited to marvel at just how dreadful it was.
Earlier this year we posted episodes from the fun new web series Stray, which is about a straight guy and a gay guy, and their developing roommate bromance. Now the show is plotting its return for season 2, but in order to get it made, it’s hoping to raise $15,000 via 
Earlier this year, a new stage production of Mat Crowley’s 1968 gay play The Boys In The Band got a limited run in the West End. It looks like that may have inspired a very starry 50th Anniversary Broadway revival which is being planned for 2018, starring an impressive selection of gay actors.
Although many will roll there eyes at the idea of another coming out movie, the truth is while they may seem old-hat to gay audiences, they’re still rare in mainstream cinema. Therefore Love, Simon is a movie to be welcomed, which has Greg Berlanti (Arrow, Riverdale, The Broken Hearts Club) directing, with Jurassic World’s Nick Robinson in the central role. He’s joined by Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Miles Heizer, Keiynan Lonsdale, Logan Miller, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel and Tony Hale.
In the 1990s Tonya Harding was a top figure skater, but rather than her achievments on the ice, she’s now mainly remembered for being linked to an attack on her rival, Nancy Kerrigan, who was her main competition on the US team. Margot Robbie is now bringing the story to life with I, Tonya, which has released its first full trailer.
Carlos Lechuga’s Santa & Andres won numerous awards at film festivals around the world, while managing to get banned in Cuba and causing a bit of a fuss when when the Havan Film Festival in New York removed it from their awards competition due to the fact it was ‘political’. Now that it’s preparing for its US cinema and DVD/VoD release, it’s a good excuse to take a look at the trailer for the gay-themed movie.
Synopsis: ‘Get seduced with the best gay shorts France has to offer, in this exquisite collection of sexy shorts- French Kisses are; Apollo: Apollo is a modern teenager. Riddled with insecurities, Apollo runs towards manhood, fantasizing about an ever more muscular body, an ever bigger banana. Herculaneum Three “appointments”. Two men. A volcano that growls. The Body of Angels Rémi throws himself to the ground, listens to the birds and falls asleep in the hedges.
The problem with a lot of the CG animated movies that aren’t backed by big studios and enormous budgets is that the end result looks a little shoddy. It’s great to see then a British/German independent production that both looks polished and as if it might be quite fun.