Kevin Spacey rushed to hospital fearing ‘heart attack’ at Uzbekistan film festival
Spacey spoke about the incident on stage at the Tashkent International Film Festival in Uzbekistan
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kevin Spacey was taken to hospital after reportedly fearing a heart attack.
The House of Cards star, who in July was found not guilty of nine sexual offences, was attending the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival in Uzbekistan when the incident occurred.
In a speech at the festival, Spacey said he was touring the Afrasiyab Museum in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand when he felt his “entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds”.
According to footage shared by The Sun, Spacey said: “I experienced something here today that was unexpected.
“I was looking at these extraordinary murals on the walls and I suddenly felt my entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds.
“I shook it off, but I immediately told the people I was with and we went immediately to the [...] medical centre.”
He added: “I spent the afternoon there having a variety of tests. Staff took care of me, and even put me through an MRI.
“Everything turned out to be completely normal, and I’m grateful it’s not anything more serious. But it also made me really take a moment and think about how fragile life is – for all of us.”
The Sun reports that it was feared that Spacey may have been having a heart attack; however, doctors later gave him the all-clear.
“Mr Spacey was taken to a medical centre over health concerns,” a source close to the actor reportedly told The Sun.
“He was treated professionally by doctors and staff and found to have no problem with his heart.”
The Independent has reached out to Tashkent and Spacey’s legal representative for comment.
Spacey is currently attempting to revive his acting career after the allegations against him led to his early exit from the final season of Netflix’s House of Cards in 2017. The show was rewritten to make his co-star, Robin Wright, the lead. He was also replaced by Christopher Plummer in Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World.
The Oscar-winner had denied nine charges, including sexual assault, which were alleged to have been committed between 2001 and 2013.
Over the course of the trial at Southwark Crown Court earlier this year, each of Spacey’s four accusers gave evidence, describing him as a “vile sexual predator”, “slippery” and “atrocious, despicable, disgusting”.
On 26 July, the jury found Spacey not guilty of all charges.
Addressing reporters outside court, Spacey said: “I imagine that many of you can understand that there’s a lot for me to process after what has just happened.
“But I would like to say that I’m enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts, carefully, before they reached their decision.
“And I am humbled by the outcome.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments