Pop quiz: what do you do when one of the actors in your new movie that comes out in six weeks is accused many times over of being a predatory piece of shit? Do you a.) ignore it and pose stoically for pictures with him at the premier, b.) pen a statement saying you “stand by” your actor because he’s a good guy from what you’ve seen and that’s what truth is, c.) flee Beverly Hills and don’t stop running until you’ve hit the Atlantic Ocean or d.) stop fucking dithering and REPLACE him already.
The answer, my friends, is “D,” as in “Do what Ridley Scott just did.”
On Wednesday, Deadline reported that director Ridley Scott, in concert with Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas, opted to remove Kevin Spacey from Scott’s forthcoming movie All The Money In The World, which is completely finished, and will give his role to Christopher Plummer. The reshoots, as you might expect, will begin immediately, since the film’s release date is December 22. Cast-members Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams are reportedly cooperating with the reshoot, and the cast and crew’s decision to redo Spacey’s scenes with Plummer was unanimous.
I write this all keeping in mind that, in addition to Scott’s decision being the right one, it must have been motivated in large part by Spacey’s newfound status within Hollywood as a financial liability—the scandal would likely have tanked the movie. There’s also awards season to consider. So, basically, this was a good move for everyone, except Kevin Spacey.