Kevin Spacey says he chose Israel over Greece when told to cancel Tel Aviv show

Kevin Spacey said he chose his upcoming performance in Israel over a planned show in Greece, telling Israeli TV that there had been pressure on him to cancel his upcoming November 19 “Songs & Stories” show in Tel Aviv.

When Spacey’s appearance in Greece was announced, there were demands that he cancel his show in Tel Aviv, the actor told Channel 12 in an interview broadcast Tuesday.

Spacey canceled the Greece appearance but not the Tel Aviv show.

“We don’t respond well to ultimatums,” said Spacey. “And I don’t believe in punishing the citizens of a country for what’s happening within their country. We simply don’t respond well to that — so instead of canceling Israel, we canceled the other city.”

Many artists have faced strong calls to boycott Israel over the Gaza war that erupted in he wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

Spacey told Channel 12 that he has always felt an affinity for Israel and saw echoes of the boycott calls in his own experiences being shunned as he tries to make a return to public life, following eight years of accusations of sexual misconduct.

Beginning in 2017, Spacey was accused by dozens of men of sexual misconduct of varying degrees, and multiple legal cases were filed against him.

He was acquitted in two cases of charges of sexual misconduct, one in 2022 in New York after actor Anthony Rapp accused him of committing battery in 1986, when Rapp was 14, and the other in 2023, when a UK court found Spacey not guilty on nine charges of sexual assault.

When the accusations emerged, the Academy Award-winning actor, known for films such as “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty” and the TV series “House of Cards,” saw his career come to a halt.

He lost his role in Netflix’s “House of Cards” and was ordered to pay some $30 million in damages to the streaming giant.

Spacey said in the Channel 12 interview that he was putting the last eight years behind him.

“I’ve always tried to be a decent person who enjoys working with others, but I think what has always driven me is my ambition,” said Spacey. “For a long time, I was determined to prove that I was the best actor — that’s what I really wanted. But you have to ask yourself questions: Did I handle the situation in the best possible way? Was I impatient? Did I treat that person with kindness and understanding?”

Spacey said he reached out to many people who experienced inappropriate behavior from him. He has also maintained throughout that the criminal charges against him were baseless.

“I’m in a place where I have nothing to hide,” said Spacey.

When Spacey was shunned by most in the global entertainment industry, he was welcomed in Israel, a place he said has been important to him for a long time.

During the interview, Spacey showed a ring gifted to him by his Jewish manager, engraved in Hebrew with the words “This too shall pass.”

“I think one of the things I admire most about Israelis is that people always look forward,” said Spacey. “That’s why I don’t focus on endings — I focus on beginnings.”

Spacey said he first visited Israel in 1986 and returned last year, touring many of the sites attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

During last year’s visit, he also gave an acting master class at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Tel Aviv, working with students on classical monologues.

Spacey described the workshop, in which each of the 60 students performed their monologue in Hebrew, as “extraordinary.”

“I don’t speak Hebrew, but it was so amazing because they were so determined, so motivated, and it made me feel like I got a small glimpse into the resilience of Israeli citizens. I felt lucky that day,” said Spacey.

Spacey reflected on the boycotts that Israel has experienced as a result of the war against Hamas in Gaza and said he has endured similar distancing.

“I’ve learned that people often make decisions based on what they think they know at the time,” said Spacey. “And when they learn more, when they get more information, they might discover that things aren’t what they thought. I don’t believe in silencing dialogue. I oppose silencing anyone, whoever they may be.”

Spacey appears to be seeking a comeback after his acquittals.

He was honored at a benefit gala in Cannes, France, in May, during the film festival there.

He also appeared at the Venice Film Festival in September to promote his directorial comeback, “Holiguards Saga – The Portal of Force,” a sci-fi project produced by a Ukrainian producer and entrepreneur.