'Fools!' Spacey Makes Surprise Appearance in Museum

Kevin Spacey returned to the public eye Friday for "a bizarre reading" of a poem at an Italian museum, Variety reports. The actor, whose career nosedived in 2017 amid sexual-assault allegations, appeared at the National Roman Museum and read a poem about a wounded boxer who vowed never to give up. "I shook the country, made the arenas vibrate, tore my opponents to shreds," said the 60-year-old, reading from "Boxer at Rest" by Italian poet Gabriele Tinti. "I lit up the darkness, collected insults, compelled applause. Not everyone knew how to do this. None of you. On the other hand life is not frightening for those who have never taken a risk."

He stood by the Greek bronze statue "Boxer at Rest" while reading to about 50 museum-goers and chosen guests, staring intensely and making eye contact with people in the front rows, per the Daily Beast. "Fools!" he continued, "you couldn't imagine that I would be resuscitated in this metal suit, that I would come back to stare at you with my dark face, without lips." The audience responded with stunned silence. Tinti, who said the poem was inspired by Spacey, had invited the actor to read it. "With the one and only @kevinspacey!" the poet tweeted. "The Museum said it was an honor to have Mr. Spacey here with us to celebrate the magnificent statue of the boxer!!" (Spacey recently got some positive legal news.)