Gabriel Byrne: Kevin Spacey's 'Sexually Inappropriate Behavior' Stopped Usual Suspects Filming For 2 Days

By Bobby Finger  |  December 5, 2017 | 6:30pm
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In an interview with The Sunday Times, actor Gabriel Byrne revealed that production on his most famous film, 1995’s The Usual Suspects, was “shut down abruptly for two days” after co-star Kevin Spacey (who won an Oscar for his performance as Verbal Kint) was accused of “sexually inappropriate behavior towards a younger actor.”

At the time, Byrne says he and other cast members had no idea why the filming stopped. “It was only years later that we began to understand,” he said.

Byrne delivers a series of “I knew but I didn’t know that much” remarks that are quickly becoming as typical as the allegations surrounding them, which reveal a culture (that exists well beyond the borders of Hollywood, by the way) that would rather ignore uncomfortable truths than confront them head on.

“I did not know honestly then the extent of his violence,” Byrne says. “I mean, he was kind of a joke in that people would say, ‘That’s Kevin,’ but nobody really understood the depth of his predations.”

He offers similar comments about Harvey Weinstein, whom he calls a “sleazebag” and “a vile bully” before adding:

“I had heard vague rumors — I have to stress that they were vague — of doors being locked and women being compromised…But I did not know, and many people didn’t know, the extent of the violence that he perpetrated on women.”

Did I mention that The Usual Suspects was directed by Bryan Singer? Just something to note.

 
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