Kevin Spacey ‘celebrates with a whisky at Soho private members club’ after being cleared at sex assault trial – as expert says he could now be in line for a payoff from Netflix who dropped the actor from House of Cards

• A witness said he ‘looked very proud’ and was with about seven friends

Actor Kevin Spacey reportedly celebrated at a London private members club after being cleared of sexually assaulting four men.

The double Oscar winner, who marked his 64th birthday yesterday, was overcome with emotion when the jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts on all counts following a high-profile trial.

He was then spotted sipping whisky with about seven friends at the Groucho Club, a private members spot in Soho on Wednesday night, according to reports. 

A witness told Page Six ‘he looked very proud’ and ‘was sitting by the entrance for everyone to see.’ 

‘He spent the evening nursing a whisky,’ the onlooker said. ‘They didn’t sing Happy Birthday but everyone seemed in good spirits.’ 

Spacey reportedly left the club at around midnight, with an umbrella shielding him from the rain. 

Actor Kevin Spacey speaks to the media outside Southwark Crown Court, London, after he was found not guilty of sexually assaulting four men

Court artist drawing of actor Kevin Spacey wiping tears from his eyes as he was found not guilty

Spacey was accused of abusing his fame and power to carry out nine sex attacks on four men during his tenure as artistic director of the Old Vic theatre. But he insisted the claims were ‘madness’ and accused the claimants of ‘lying for money’. 

The allegations not only shredded what had been a glittering showbiz career but also had major financial implications, with the star told to pay £25.5million to the producers of House of Cards after he was sacked. 

He has also been landed with at least £1million in defence fees and suffered the humiliation of being edited out of the Sir Ridley Scott film All The Money In The World. Earlier in the trial Spacey told the jury: ‘I’ve lost everything.’ 

Read more: Kevin Spacey CLEARED in sex assault trial

Brand and Culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline that Kevin Spacey was effectively cancelled from the moment the allegations came out about his conduct. But given his talent, the Hollywood A-lister will now rebuild his career and make critics ‘eat their words’. And a return to Broadway or London’s West End will be likely, speedy and lucrative.

Netflix is likely to be worried today given how he was dropped from House of Cards, for which he was paid a reported $500,000 per episode, and will likely have to pay him off or face an expensive lawsuit after they sued him, Mr Ede said. 

He added: ‘It’s now time for him to build his career back but also make those that doubted him eat their words. He was sensationally sued by Netflix for $31million dollars and I expect they will be his first port of call for an apology and even a financial settlement.

Spacey was sacked from House Of Cards and then suffered the humiliation of being edited out of the Sir Ridley Scott film All The Money In The World

On the steps of the court after the verdicts were delivered, the US actor thanked the jury, his legal team as well as his loyal manager and longtime friend Evan Lowenstein for standing by him

‘He will most certainly do a big TV interview to establish himself and remind the world of his personality rather than perceived one. With the Hollywood writers’ strike and actors strike it’s not as easy as it may have been to be offered a comeback role, however Spacey is one of the greatest actors of our generation and I can see him deciding to tread the boards on the West End stage or Broadway in a meaty role like Hamlet that shows his intense skills.

‘I’m sure will be offered many book deals chronicling his ordeal. I don’t think he will go quiet as he is a highly skilled performer with a brilliant talent and now he’s been proven innocent it’s his time to shine again’.

MailOnline has contacted Netflix for comment. 

On the steps of the court after the verdicts were delivered, the US actor thanked the jury, his legal team as well as his loyal manager and longtime friend Evan Lowenstein for standing by him.  

He said: ‘I imagine that many of you can understand that there’s a lot for me to process after what has just happened today. 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.

‘I am humbled by the outcome today. I also want to thank the staff inside this courthouse, the security, my legal team and Evan Lowenstein for being here every day.’

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