Kevin Spacey has faced a number of issues during the past few years but, simultaneously, he’s continued to appear (and be honored) at major events. The Oscar winner was most recently on hand for a film festival held outside the United States. While taking in the sights though, he reportedly had to be rushed to a hospital due to an apparent medical complication. He’s since recovered, but the details shared about the situation do sound somewhat scary.
The 64-year-old actor was in Uzbekistan for the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival when he became ill. Per reports, he was visiting Samarkand’s Afrasiyab Museum during the exact moment he started feeling sick. The Baby Driver alum felt his “entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds,” according to The U.S. Sun. From there, he needed to be admitted to Innova Diagnostic Clinic and ultimately needed an MRI scan, before participating in other tests. A source provided further details on the situation:
Mr. Spacey was taken to a medical centre over health concerns. He was treated professionally by doctors and staff and found to have no problem with his heart.
As indicated above, it was assumed he may have suffered a heart attack, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. The actor was eventually released from the hospital and continued on with his planned schedule of events at the festival. When he addressed attendees, he confirmed he was feeling “normal” and also shared his own account of the events that led to his hospitalization:
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. 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.
The House of Cards star has dealt with a few personal hurdles as of late, but those have had more those have been legal-based troubles as opposed to health-related ones. After fellow actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him when he was still a minor, the two became embroiled in a $40 million sexual battery suit. Ultimately, the verdict determined Spacey was “not liable for battery.” He was later charged with more counts of assault in the UK and was eventually found not guilty of those reported offenses either.
Amid the controversies, the Hollywood veteran has continued to work on projects. Just last year, at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, he attempted to make a comeback. Studio execs were attempting to sell the distribution rights to his latest film, Peter Five Eight, which eventually landed at SPI International.
While addressing the crowd Kevin Spacey also declared that his medical situation made him “ take a moment and think about how fragile life is.” So one would think this is an experience that’s going to stick with him for some time.