Kevin Spacey sets 1st film role since allegations derailed his career

Actor Kevin Spacey is set to make his first film appearance since becoming the focus of sexual-abuse allegations and lawsuits and a since-dismissed criminal case.

Veteran Italian star Franco Nero, 79, told ABC News over the weekend that two-time Academy Award winner Spacey would appear in "L'uomo che disegnò Dio" ("The Man Who Drew God"), Nero's second directorial effort. The low-budget independent film is scheduled for release Oct. 5 in Italy.

"I'm very happy Kevin agreed to participate in my film," Nero said. "I consider him a great actor and I can't wait to start the movie." The film, about a blind artist who can draw accurate portraits simply by listening to the subject's voice, stars Nero, his acclaimed actor wife Vanessa Redgrave, Dix Hills-raised Robert Davi and others.

Producer Louis Nero, CEO of the Turin, Italy-based production company L'Altrofilm, subsequently confirmed to the trade magazine Variety that Spacey has a cameo role as a police detective. It was unclear if Louis Nero is related to Franco Nero, born Francesco Sparanero. Redgrave and Franco Nero have one child, filmmaker Carlo Nero.

Spacey, 61, has not commented publicly, and did not respond to a Newsday request for comment via the email address on his website.

In October 2017, "Star Trek: Discovery" star Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making sexual advances toward him decades ago when Rapp was 14. Spacey said in a statement that he did not remember the encounter but apologized nonetheless. In that statement, Spacey also publicly acknowledged for the first time that he is gay.

Following the accusation, Netflix dropped Spacey from his series "House of Cards" and canceled a Gore Vidal biographical drama that had completed production, with Spacey in the starring role. Spacey's completed scenes in the movie "All the Money in the World" were reshot with Christopher Plummer, who earned an Oscar nomination.

While at least 20 men have alleged sexual misconduct, Massachusetts prosecutors dropped the only criminal case against Spacey after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The accuser later dropped his lawsuit against Spacey. Los Angeles prosecutors did not file charges in two cases, one beyond the statute of limitations and another in which the accuser died.

On May 3, a federal judge in New York dismissed a civil suit against Spacey after the accuser would not make his identity known to the court despite having done so with numerous individuals, Rapp and media members. Prosecutors in the U.K. remain undecided whether to file charges based on allegations from Spacey's 1995-2013 stint as artistic director of the London theater the Old Vic.

Aside from three short holiday-greeting videos on social media, Spacey's last visible performance was a supporting role in 2018's "Billionaire Boys Club."