Kevin Spacey is because of seem in a US courtroom to face sexual assault allegations made in opposition to him by actor Anthony Rapp.
The actor, 63, has “categorically denied” the accusations and says he “didn’t harbour any sexual curiosity or want in Mr Rapp on the time or since” the incident, which allegedly occurred in 1986.
Jury choice will start on Thursday in the USA District Court docket for the Southern District of New York, with proceedings presided over by Decide Lewis A Kaplan.
Mr Spacey has been in exile from Hollywood since Mr Rapp accused him of the inappropriate behaviour in October 2017.
Mr Rapp claimed he was the sufferer of an “undesirable sexual advance” at a celebration in 1986 when he was 14 years outdated.
Paperwork seen by the PA information company declare Mr Spacey had stunned Mr Rapp on the get together by selecting him up and placing him on a mattress.
The paperwork mentioned Mr Spacey had then pushed his physique weight in opposition to Mr Rapp earlier than the actor “wriggled out” with no resistance through the transient encounter.
Mr Spacey mentioned none of his interactions with Mr Rapp had been “for the aim of degrading or abusing him”.
“I categorically deny plaintiff Anthony Rapp’s declare that I sexually assaulted him or in any other case made a ‘sexual advance’ on him,” the Hollywood star mentioned beforehand.
The trial comes lower than three months after Mr Spacey appeared in a UK courtroom to “strenuously” deny additional allegations of sexual assault costs courting again 17 years.
He denied 5 allegations relating to a few males, who at the moment are of their 30s and 40s, at London’s Previous Bailey on July 14.
The alleged offences are mentioned to have taken place in London and Gloucestershire between 2005 and 2013, throughout which period Mr Spacey was creative director of The Previous Vic theatre.
Mr Justice Wall set a trial of three to 4 weeks from June 6 subsequent yr, with an extra listening to as a result of happen earlier in 2023.