Kevin Spacey was awarded a lifetime achievement medal in Italy, just days after appearing in court in Britain to deny sexual assault allegations.

The 63-year old visited Turin for his first public speaking engagement since the #MeToo-era allegations were revealed. He was presented with an award for his contribution to the growth cinema.

Two-time Academy Award recipient was scheduled to present a masterclass, and introduce the screening of American Beauty 1999.

It is the second appearance of Spacey at London’s Southwark Crown Court via video link on Friday, where he denied three counts each of indecent assault, sexual assault, and one count of causing another person to engage in sexual activities without their consent.

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Five other allegations against him have been denied in the UK.

Spacey, who has not given an official public speech since 2017 when sex abuse allegations were made public, denied that he was withdrawing from public life during a speech before he received his award Monday night.

Ansa, the local news agency, spoke to him and said that he lives his life every day. He goes to restaurants, meets people, drives, plays tennis, and has always met generous, genuine, and compassionate people.

“I haven’t hidden away, and I haven’t gone to live inside a cave.”

Spacey received the Mole Antonelliana lifetime achievement Award at the National Museum of Cinema, Turin. He thanked the venue for having “le palle”, which is Italian for “balls”, and invited him.

He told the audience, “My heart is full towards the Museum of Cinema because they invited me tonight.”

He thanked Domenico De Gaetano, the museum’s director, and Marco Fallanca, the head of international relations for organizing the event.

He said, “By presenting the award, they are making strong defense of artistic achievement, and for that they should be applauded.”

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Spacey also paid special attention to Evan Lowenstein, his manager.

He stated, “Evan has not just stood beside me. He was there for me when I needed him, and he stood beside me when I needed him to push me.

Spacey, who was stripped of his star role in House of Cards due to the allegations, shot his latest movie, Franco Nero’s The Man Who Drew God in Turin.

He visited Torino’s Olympic Stadium to watch their Serie A match against Spezia on Sunday. There he took a photo with a club shirt with his name on it.

Spacey will be facing a dozen charges in London that he sexually assaulted 4 men between 2001-2013, including while he was artistic director of the Old Vic theatre.

He has pleaded not guilt.

A federal jury found Spacey incompetent in a New York civil case. It was not responsible for sexual abuse allegations made by Anthony Rapp. These accusations date back to 1986, when they were both relatively unknown Broadway performers. Rapp was only 14 years old.

Massachusetts had previously made allegations against Spacey that he had groped a man in a bar.

The charges were dropped by the prosecution later.