Kevin Spacey parties with Elton John after singer testified at his sex assault trial
Kevin Spacey has been spotted dining at a swanky restaurant on the French Riviera with Elton John and his husband David Furnish — three weeks after he was acquitted of sex assault charges against four men.
The Oscar winner, 64, appeared in high spirits in the company of the pop legend, 76, and the Canadian filmmaker, 60, both of whom testified in his defense at the highly-publicized UK trial last month.
The trio was pictured inside the exclusive La Petite Maison eatery in the Côte D’azur, accompanied by two other adults and John and Furnish’s young children, Zachary, 12, and Elijah, 10.
Spacey, who was wearing a powder blue suit, was filmed grinning as the group was serenaded by a band playing Elvis Presley’s 1968 hit, “Suspicious Minds.”
It comes as one of Spacey’s pals told Daily Mail on Friday that the actor, who is currently based in London, is looking to leave the UK, despite being cleared of the charges that sullied his name.
“Kevin was cleared, but he isn’t going back to the lifestyle and contacts he once had,” the unnamed friend told the publication. “He has been talking for at least a year about moving out of the UK, most likely to Paris.”
“They have a history of not caring too much about people’s private lives in France, but they do have a strong cinema culture,” the pal continued. “It would be a good place for him to start again — and he has plenty of friends in Paris.”
Spacey was accused of committing sex offenses against four men between 2004 and 2013, while he was serving as artistic director at London’s historic Old Vic theater.
The “Usual Suspects” star was charged with nine separate counts — including sexual assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity. He faced life in prison if found guilty.
One of Spacey’s accusers claimed the star aggressively grabbed his crotch while driving to Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball in either 2004 or 2005.
However, John and his husband both countered those claims in court, telling the jury that Spacey arrived at the event by private jet.
Late last month, Spacey was acquitted of all nine charges by the jury, comprised of six men and three women.
The actor told the court that any encounters with the men would have been consensual. He said he was promiscuous and a “big flirt” who had “casual, indiscriminate sexual encounters.”
Spacey’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs, vociferously defended the star, telling the jury it was not a crime for his client to enjoy casual gay sex “because it’s 2023, not 1823.”
Three of the accusers claimed they were aggressively groped, while the fourth alleged Spacey performed oral sex on him when he was passed out in the star’s London apartment.
The four variously described the actor as a “vile sexual predator,” “slippery” and “atrocious, despicable, disgusting.”
However, Spacey hit back, implying that the plaintiffs were motivated by money.
Spacey told the court three of the four men had brought civil lawsuits against him, with one allegedly seeking payment of more than £450,000 ($577,400).
The “American Beauty” star — who has been virtually banished from Hollywood following multiple allegations of sexual abuse — sobbed as the not-guilty verdict was handed down.
After leaving the court following the verdict, Spacey told a throng of media: “I imagine that many of you can understand that there’s a lot for me to process after what has just happened today. I am humbled by the outcome.”
The legal victory came less than a year after Spacey also won a sex abuse case brought against him by actor Anthony Rapp in Manhattan.
Last October, jurors sided with Spacey, finding that Rapp could not conclusively prove his claim that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance at him back in 1986.
