In a move that comes as a surprise to many, disgraced actor Kevin Spacey was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Italian National Film Awards ceremony in Rome. The award was presented to Spacey in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the film industry over the course of his career amid several cases of sexual misconduct against him in the US and UK.
Spacey, who is best known for his roles in films such as "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects," has been a major force in the entertainment industry for more than two decades. He has received numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including two Academy Awards.
Spacey was greeted with a standing ovation as he took the stage to accept the award. He thanked the museum for having the "balls" to present him with the award in his acceptance speech.
The 63-year-old also thanked the Italian National Film Academy for the honour and acknowledged the many talented actors, directors, and producers he has had the privilege of working with over the years. He also took the opportunity to reflect on his time in Italy and the many friendships he has made during his visits to the country.
The sexual misconduct allegations surfaced in 2017 and since then over 30 men have come forward accusing the actor of groping them or sexually assaulting them. He denied the allegations and came out as a gay man amid a boycott in Hollywood during the #MeToo movement. He was replaced in projects as well and since then, has not worked much.
He was dropped from the hit Netflix drama "House of Cards" after accusations came to light. Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World" was reshot with Christopher Plummer replacing Spacey as well.
The ceremony, which was attended by some of the biggest names in the Italian film industry, was held at the historic Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.
