Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey is making a move back into the public spotlight. He has officially booked his first comic book convention appearance, set for February 16-18 at Mad Monster, the con held in Concord, North Carolina. Organizers announced early this morning that he will be among the guests signing autographs and posing for photos through the company Everest Autographs.
Spacey has avoided the public eye in recent years after explosive allegations surfaced about his conduct during the early days of the #MeToo Movement.
During this time, he was fired from his role as Frank Underwood in House of Cards, although did reprise the role in a series of holiday videos, including one featuring ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson last month.
In addition to the career fallout, Spacey faced myriad legal troubles as well. In July, he was acquitted of sexual assault charges in the UK. Those in his orbit say the actor feels vindicated by the verdict, while those in Hollywood say it’s extremely unlikely he will ever work in the town again. The actor has spent the last few years taking roles in the low-budget indie world, where some producers are happy to have him despite the controversy he brings.
Spacey won’t be the only controversial guest at Mad Monster with The Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider joining him. Alec Baldwin, who was indicted last week on involuntary manslaughter charges related to the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on his indie western film, Rust, appears February 9-10 at a convention in Atlanta – his second con appearance ever.
Normally these types of booking go unremarked upon, though there is always the risk of public backlash. Spacey’s appearance is sure to turn heads. “Amongst the many things that I’ve learned in the past handful of years is how much my fans care about me,” Spacey said in a statement. “I know I can’t thank each one of them individually, but this is a great step towards doing just that.”
Added the organizers of Mad Monster, the first con to book Spacey; “Kevin Spacey is one of the most sought-after actors in the celebrity appearance space. We couldn’t be more excited to be the first to bring him to a show.”