JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Cannes 2025: Why is Kevin Spacey Returning After 9 Years? Know About Highly-Anticipated Prize Awaiting the Actor
Kevin Spacey makes a surprise comeback at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 to receive a lifetime achievement award and promote his new thriller The Awakening.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to s*xual misconduct.
Kevin Spacey is set to return to the Cannes Film Festival for the first time since 2016. The two-time Oscar winner will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Better World Fund’s gala on May 20. Spacey is expected to arrive in Cannes on May 18.
His visit may also include a red carpet appearance at the Palais, according to Variety. This marks a major moment for the actor, whose career slowed down after multiple s*xual misconduct allegations in recent years.
The actor’s career stalled after allegations of misconduct surfaced in 2017. However, he was found not liable in a 2022 civil lawsuit in New York and later acquitted in a criminal case in London in 2023.
Now, Spacey is slowly stepping back into public life. Last year, he received a similar lifetime honor in Italy. The Better World Fund has also honored names like Kevin Costner and Sharon Stone in the past.
Spacey’s return to Cannes is part of a larger plan to promote his new film, The Awakening. The British indie thriller features Spacey as the leader of a secret global organization. It’s the first film he shot after being cleared of charges in the U.K. “It’s not House of Cards, but it’s very in line with that kind of character,” said producer Matt Hookings of Camelot Films.
Hookings stated that Spacey’s appearance and award are part of a marketing strategy to get attention for the film. “So if anyone speaks to him, he could say he’s in Cannes and receiving an award, but he’s also here with The Awakening, so the film gets plugged,” Hookings said.
Securing the Better World Fund award was not a challenge, Hookings shared. “The guy that runs it is a big fan of Kevin and I just said, ‘Look, here’s a crazy idea: if I asked him to come, what can you do for him?’ So it kind of happened organically,” he said. Although flying and hosting Spacey and his team was a large expense for the small Indie film company, Hookings believes it’s worth it.
Hookings said that many people still like Kevin Spacey, so some would find his appearance exciting, while others might question why he’s there. He added that once people understand the reason for Spacey's visit, they might be willing to give him a second chance.
Latest Articles
