Kevin Spacey will finally stand trial in New York

It was reported last week that Kevin Spacey will face trial in the UK on charges of sexual assault from his time serving as artistic director at London’s Old Vic Theater from 2004-2015. On Monday, a judge ruled he will also stand trial in New York on charges stemming from the sexual assault allegations made by actor Anthony Rapp. Spacey saw his public undoing at the rise of the #MeToo movement back in 2017 when over 20 people came forward alleging that the once-beloved star had sexually assaulted them. Since the allegations became public he has largely retreated from the public eye, aside from his cryptic and creepy YouTube Christmas addresses. Last month, however, it was announced that Spacey has signed on to his first film since the allegations were made, a low-budget indie movie in which he has a minor role as a detective.

The New York judge ruled that Rapp’s sexual assault lawsuit can proceed after Spacey’s legal team attempted to have it dismissed in April due to lack of evidence. Rapp was the first accuser to come forward against Spacey, and alleges that the actor sexually assaulted him when he was 14 in 1986 after a party. Rapp claims that Spacey “picked [him] up, placed him on his bed, and climbed on top of him, making a sexual advance,” as he described the incident to Buzzfeed in 2017. He said at the time, “My stomach churns. I still to this day can't wrap my head around so many aspects of it. It's just deeply confusing to me.” Spacey denies the claims, but added in a statement at the time of the initial accusation, “But if I did behave as he describes, I owe [Rapp] the sincerest of apologies for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.”

Rapp’s assault claim was dismissed due to an expired statute of limitations, but the charges of battery and infliction of emotional distress remain. The trial is set to begin October 4th.