Laughing and joking, this is Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey, charming fellow diners at an exclusive West London eatery as if he did not have a care in the world-despite a series of sexual allegations hanging over him.
The American actor startled onlookers at the up market Bluebird Restaurant in Chelsea with his jovial, carefree manner as he sat with a friend eating lunch in its busy outdoor area.
Diners at the swanky restaurant instantly recognised one of Hollywood’s most decorated stars, going up to greet him as he responded with smiles and handshakes.
At one point, he was seen hugging and laughing with an American guest on an adjoining table who had introduced himself.
Kevin Spacey was pictured chatting with fellow diners at Bluebird Restaurant in Chelsea, west London today
The American actor startled onlookers at the up market Bluebird Restaurant in Chelsea with his jovial, carefree manner
An onlooker told MailOnline: ‘It was quite shocking to see how friendly and open he was being. He wasn’t hiding away at all, he was in a real celebratory mood.
‘He was really relaxed and seated in a very prominent position in the restaurant, seated on a high stool and table.
‘People were coming up to him, shaking his hands and he was also being really friendly with the staff.
‘Every time they came to top up his water, he would spend ages speaking and laughing with them.
The onlooker added: ‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and the way people were treating him. It’s actually quite disgraceful.’
Spacey’s celebratory air may have resulted from the fact that the young man accusing him of sexual assault refused to give any further testimony on the incident when he appeared in court for the first time in Nantucket, Massachusetts on Monday.
Spacey was not required to attend Monday’s hearing of his sexual assault trial in Massachusetts, USA but is pictured at a hearing on July 3
William Little, the man who accused Kevin Spacey of groping him at Nantucket bar in 2016, testified at a pretrial hearing in Massachusetts, USA on Monday
The accuser, who has not been named, pleaded the fifth amendment, prompting the judge to suggest that he may have to throw out the case against Spacey.
Despite the high lunchtime spirits, Spacey still faces possible charges in England. It was reported this week that Scotland Yard detectives travelled to the US to interview the star under caution. Spacey, aged 59, faces six allegations of sexual assault in the UK between 1996 and 2013, which he denies.
The Hollywood legend was enjoying a leisurely lunch with a male companion in one of London’s most exclusive areas.
As he relaxed in the afternoon sun, he was also closely following the tennis at Wimbledon, which was being shown on a giant screen.
The onlooker said: ‘You could tell that he and his friend really likes tennis. They were captivated by the Wimbledon coverage.
‘Both of them were in buoyant mood, it was obvious that they were happy about something.’
Spacey is pictured waiting to be seated at Bluebird in Chelsea’s King Road, often used for filming of reality TV show Made In Chelsea
Spacey’s relaxed demeanour is a far cry from when he was first seen in public a year after being accused of sexual assault.
On that occasion in 2018 he was photographed looking dishevelled with a blue hat and matching scarf pulled over his face.
At the Bluebird yesterday, he was nattily dressed in a shirt with a t-shirt underneath, light blue boat shoes and khaki shorts.
A diner said: ‘It couldn’t be more of a contrast to what he was like the last time he was photographed. He looked very stylish and was wearing expensive designer clothes.
‘From the way he was dressed and behaving, you sensed that he was delighted about something and didn’t have any problems, which is quite surprising really.’
Spacey is pictured centre left sat at a table at Chelsea’s Bluebird Restaurant on Monday
At the end of a two-hour lunch, Spacey waved goodbye to staff and other diners before making his way down the fashionable Kings Road in the afternoon sun.
At Monday’s pre-trial hearing in Natucket, the actor’s lawyer called for an immediate dismissal of the charges against him after the accuser refused to further testify.
Alan Jackson, Spacey’s lawyer said: ‘This entire case is completely compromised’ by the accuser’s decision to take the Fifth.
‘He’s the sole witness than can establish the circumstances of his allegations.’
Authorities launched an investigation into the former ‘House of Cards’ actor after the young man contacted them by phone in October 2017 and alleged that Spacey plied him with beer and whiskey in July 2016.
The two met at the Club Car bar and restaurant in Nantucket, where the accuser had worked that summer as a busboy and claimed that Spacey sexually assaulted him.
Pictured: The outdoor seating area at Bluebird in Chelsea’s King’s Road, west London