Paul Schrader has spoken with Kevin Spacey about the actor starring in a Frank Sinatra biopic, despite multiple allegations still flanking the actor. Spacey is facing a civil trial in the U.K. in 2025 over allegations for which he was acquitted there in a criminal court last year. A new U.K. docuseries airing on Channel 4 also features claims of sexual offenses by the actor from 10 men.
Writer/director Schrader told Variety that he has been in contact with Spacey about him portraying an elderly Sinatra for a film.
“Cancel culture won’t let him go,” Schrader said of Spacey, citing that the actor was acquitted of sexually assaulting four men in 2023. “He’s reading a book on how Charlie Chaplin was canceled.”
Schrader added of the potential biopic, “I would not use Kevin if he had been convicted. But he was not convicted.”
Schrader’s latest film “Oh, Canada” is premiering at Cannes and the filmmaker has already teased a “post-dying” feature about sexual obsession.
Meanwhile, Schrader’s “Taxi Driver” collaborator Martin Scorsese is developing a separate Sinatra biopic with Leonardo DiCaprio in talks to lead. Jennifer Lawrence is being eyed to portray Ava Gardner, who was Sinatra’s second wife after Nancy Barbato. Lawrence and DiCaprio co-starred in “Don’t Look Up.” Variety reported Sony is leading a bidding war for the project.
Schrader’s potential Sinatra, Spacey, recently participated in an interview on X with British journalist Dan Wooton ahead of Channel 4 documentary “Spacey Unmasked,” which will air in the U.S. on ID and Max. The documentary features interviews with 10 accusers.
“I take full responsibility for my past behavior and my actions,” Spacey said. “But I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologize to anyone who’s made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me.”
Spacey was on trial for sexual and indecent assault charges over incidents alleged to have occurred between 2004 and 2013 when the actor was the director of London’s famed Old Vic Theatre. Spacey “maintained that of the four men’s charges, two were consensual, one was a “clumsy pass,” and the fourth never happened at all,” per previous reporting. Spacey was also acquitted on a charge in the U.S. from actor Anthony Rapp, among six others for sexual assault.
Spacey was first accused of inappropriate advances in 2017, leading to his termination from “House of Cards” and Ridley Scott’s feature “All the Money in the World,” among other projects. Spacey has recently starred in two dramas that were previously shelved by distributors.
IndieWire has reached out to reps for Schrader for further comment.
