LIAM NEESON IS among a number of stars who have called for Kevin Spacey’s ‘exile’ from Hollywood to end.

Spacey was the star of hit Netflix series House of Cards when allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him in 2017.

Netflix promptly cut ties with Spacey after these allegations were made.

Last July, he was found not guilty of sexually assaulting four men following a trial in London.

And in October 2022, a New York court dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against Spacey.

A number of leading figures in Hollywood, including Liam Neeson, have now called, via the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, for Spacey to be given an opportunity to return to acting 

The calls come in the wake of a Channel 4 documentary called Spacey Unmasked which aired earlier this month.

In a statement to The Telegraph, Neeson described Spacey as a “good man and a man of character”.

“He’s sensitive, articulate and non-judgmental, with a terrific sense of humour,” said Neeson.

Neeson also labelled Spacey “one of our finest artists in the theatre and on camera” and added: “Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.”

Elsewhere, Basic Instinct actress Sharon Stone told The Telegraph that she “can’t wait to see Kevin back at work”.

She described him as a “genius” and remarked that Spacey is “elegant and fun, generous to a fault”.

She added that aspiring actors “wanted and want to be around him” and said: “It’s terrible that they are blaming him for not being able to come to terms with themselves for using him and negotiating with themselves because they didn’t get their secret agendas.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Fry said that while Spacey had been “both ‘clumsy’ and ‘inappropriate’ on many occasions”, it was wrong to “bracket him with the likes of Harvey Weinstein”.

Fry added: “Surely it is wrong to continue to batter a reputation on the strength of assertion and rhetoric rather than evidence and proof? Unless I’m missing something I think he has paid the price.”

Elsewhere, Trevor Nunn, the former artistic director of both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, remarked that it is time for Spacey to be “forgiven”.

Nunn directed Spacey in two productions at The Old Vic in London, where Spacey was also artistic director.

He told the Telegraph: “In light of the court’s verdict, surely it is time for this man to be forgiven for whatever poor judgments he may have made in the past and allowed to resume his career, after seven years of exile?”

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “Spacey Unmasked is an important film exploring the balance of power and inappropriate behaviour in a work environment, aiming to give a voice to those who have previously been unable to speak out.”

In an interview this week with the Telegraph, Spacey described himself as a victim of a “rush to judgement” in the wake of the MeToo movement against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

He added that he feels ostracised from the industry.