Kevin Spacey ordered to pay $31m to House of Cards producers

After claims of sexual misconduct, a judge ordered Kevin Spacey to pay House of Cards producers $31 million (£25.5 million) to cover the cost of removing him from the show.

The US actor denies accusations of inappropriate behaviour with young crew workers, which the entertainment corporation MRC last year ordered the actor to pay.

Spacey filed an appeal to have the arbitration decision against the producers reversed. However, a judge in Los Angeles rejected his request on Thursday.

The Netflix political drama’s sixth season had to be cancelled due to Spacey’s alleged misconduct, and the season’s 13 episodes were reduced to eight. According to MRC, this cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Spacey’s attorneys made an attempt to have the $31 million award dismissed earlier this year, arguing that his actions only amounted to “sexual innuendos” and “harmless horseplay” and did not violate MRC’s anti-harassment policy.

However, Judge Mel Red Recana stated on Thursday that Spacey and his legal counsel “fail to demonstrate that this is even a close case” and that Spacey will be required to pay the award that had previously been made by an arbitrator in October 2020.

According to estimates, the $31 million was made up of roughly $29.5 million in damage and $1.5 million in charges and fees.

Spacey, 63, played the ruthless politician Frank Underwood for five seasons of House of Cards before being fired from the series as a result of the accusations.

Last month, he testified at the Old Bailey in London to “strenuously” refute three men’s allegations of sexual assault that occurred 17 years ago, when Spacey was the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre.

A pre-hearing is anticipated to happen early in the next year, and the trial will happen in June 2023.

Additionally, in October, Spacey will appear in New York for a civil trial brought by actor Anthony Rapp, who was Spacey’s first known accuser.

The Hollywood celebrity apologised in 2017 after being accused of making a sexual move toward the former child actor.