It was a night of controversy, emotion, and defiance as Kevin Spacey made his dramatic return to the Cannes Film Festival, attending a Better World Fund gala where he received a lifetime achievement award. According to Variety, the evening marked his first appearance at the festival in nearly a decade — and his first since being acquitted of multiple sexual assault charges.
Taking the stage as the event’s star guest, Spacey gave a fiery, unapologetic speech, directly addressing his years-long exile from Hollywood.
"Who would have ever thought that honoring someone who has been exonerated in every single courtroom he’s ever walked into would be thought of as a brave idea," he said, thanking the organizers for taking what he called a "risk."
Drawing a parallel between himself and blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, Spacey invoked Kirk Douglas’ historic support of Trumbo, saying, "It’s easy for us actors to play the hero on screen… but in real life, the choices are not always so clear."
Choking back emotion, Spacey ended with a line from Elton John—whom he referred to as a "friend": "I’m still standing."
At Cannes, it seems, Kevin Spacey is writing his own third act.
