Since Kevin Spacey's career burnt out following repeated claims and accusations of sexual assault, he's been trying to work his way back to some semblance of his former life.
He released a bizarre video just before Christmas, in which he sort of channel Frank Underwood, his character from Netflix's 'House of Cards', to protest his innocence. This Friday, however, he made another very odd public appearance in Rome.
Reading a poem by Italian writer Gabriele Tinti, titled 'The Boxer', Spacey's publicist apparently tipped off a couple of journalists about the stunt and promised them sit-down interviews - which, apparently, never materialised.
Outside of his court appearances for the sexual assault of an 18-year old bus boy, this has been Spacey's first public appearance since a total of 15 accusations of sexual assault were levelled against him. The case in Nantucket, however, collapsed earlier this month although it's understood there are still multiple open investigations against him in the UK.
The performance itself really is bizarre, to say the least, and no doubt there's some intention to draw some kind of parallel between himself and the subject of it. In a statement to THR, poet Gabriele Tinti explained that Spacey "immediately appreciated the courage and special nature of my proposal."
"The idea of giving voice to an ancient statuary, or giving new life to the finds, the fragments, that which remains of our past, struck a note with his sensitivity and deep love of art."
Here's the video, if you care.
