Director Michael Zaiko Hall defends casting Kevin Spacey in ‘Peter Five Eight’
Michael Zaiko Hall, the director behind Peter Five Eight, the film that will mark the comeback of Kevin Spacey following allegations of sexual assault and his subsequent acquittal, has defended his decision to cast the actor.
In July last year, Spacey was acquitted of nine charges. These included seven of sexual assault, one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity.
After being cleared of any wrongdoing, Spacey will now star in Peter Five Eight, a thriller in which he plays an assassin hired to track down a wealthy real estate agent. The film will be released on March 22nd, 2024.
In a new interview with Unilad, Hall noted, “Now with Kevin – he came up early in casting discussions as the most perfect Peter on the planet. No one can play that role better than Spacey. As it turned out, Kevin is also a huge film buff and understood the reference points, stylistic cues, and easter eggs in the script.”
The director added, “Naturally, there were discussions amongst the producers about [casting Spacey for his first lead role in seven years]. It’s a sensitive topic, and we’re respectful to all sides. As flawed as it may be at times, I do believe in the criminal justice system. This is where innuendo and allegations are put under the microscope and looked at intensely from all angles. The allegations against him were put to the test, and he was exonerated.”
Hall signed off on the matter, “There will be voices online that say bad things about the movie and those involved because they worked with Kevin. I do feel that they are a relatively small group. I don’t think artistic endeavours should be governed by negativity. They should be governed by inspiration.”
Check out the trailer for Peter Five Eight below.
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