“What is true, what is false?” The question, posed in substance, continues to intrigue those who watched the video posted by Kevin Spacey on Christmas Day. The actor, who was at the height of his fame during the filming of the series House of Cards, then caught up in legal turmoil, appeared in an interview with Tucker Carlson, the former ultra-conservative Fox columnist News.
For years, actor Kevin Spacey has presented his New Year greetings to his fans on his YouTube channel. The formats varied, before stopping for two years. This year, beyond the traditional “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year”, the actor has split a slightly longer video, where the actor once again merges with his favorite character, Frank Underwood, president from the United States to the anthological vice. Opposite him, former host Tucker Carlson, who regularly flirts with conspiracy theories. During the exchange, the actor and the polemicist discuss current events, the political climate and the approach of the 2024 presidential election. Kevin Spacey lends himself to the game and lets the suspense hang over a possible candidacy Underwood at the White House.
Tucker Carlson ends up asking him very seriously if he still watches Netflix. “Probably as much as you watch Fox,” replies Kevin Spacey, mockingly. Against a backdrop of internal criticism over his misogyny and anti-Semitism, Carlson was fired by Fox in early 2023. The actor was fired by Netflix in 2017, following several accusations of sexual assault. Around thirty different testimonies were collected, the majority leading to no prosecution; two trials took place, in New York in 2022 and in London in 2023. In the first, which pitted Kevin Spacey against actor Anthony Rapp, the jury considered that the alleged facts were not characterized. In the second, where he faced seven charges, the British courts declared him not guilty.
This strange video comes at the end of these years of controversy and resembles a settling of scores with the great American producer and broadcaster. “It’s weird that Netflix decided to publicly cut ties with me based solely on accusations that turned out to be false,” explains the actor without any emotion showing. Because I don’t think there is the slightest possible doubt. Netflix exists because of me. I put them on the spot and they tried to knock me down.”
Several times during the interview, he breaks the fourth wall like Frank Underwood would do in House of Cards, by turning toward the camera and staring into the viewer’s gaze, adding to the confusion.
“By the way, when are you going back to work?”, Tucker Carlson says ingeniously. “Oh, I’ve been back to work since we started talking, Tucker.” “Does that mean we’re in an episode or is it real?” the former journalist pretends. “Well, it’s probably a little bit of both,” Spacey replies. I mean, Tucker, what’s real, what’s fake? What is life, what is art? What is real? What is performance? I like when these things intersect, because that’s when it gets interesting.”
