Kevin Spacey’s Testimony Reveals ‘Sexual Compulsive Behavior’ Diagnosis in House of Cards Trial
Former House of Cards star Kevin Spacey testified on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, acknowledging a 2017 diagnosis of “sexual compulsive behavior” following allegations of sexual misconduct. The testimony came during a civil trial in California, where Media Rights Capital (MRC), the production company behind the Netflix series, is seeking to recover losses related to Spacey’s removal from the indicate.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Spacey confirmed he was diagnosed with “other specified obsessive and related behaviors, sexual compulsive behavior, and generalized anxiety disorder” after voluntarily entering The Meadows treatment facility in Arizona in November 2017. He read the diagnosis aloud from a psychiatric summary issued upon his discharge on December 16, 2017. Whereas Spacey stated he had no medical basis to challenge the diagnoses, he expressed frustration with notes in his medical records, claiming inaccuracies and discrepancies.
He testified that doctors’ notes contained details he never shared, such as claims he had a British accent or a wife. He stated, “They have an idea that I had a British accent, that I have a wife…They’re dealing with 29 other men. I have no idea how they accept notes. I’m simply saying that’s not something I said because that’s not something I did.”
The Legal Battle
The trial centers on a dispute between MRC and its insurer, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, over a nine-figure claim stemming from the disruption to House of Cards’ production in 2017. MRC argues that the show’s sixth season was halted and significantly revised due to Spacey’s alleged misconduct, resulting in substantial financial losses. The production company contends that Spacey’s “sex addiction” qualifies as a covered “sickness” under the insurance policy.
Fireman’s Fund, however, argues that the losses were caused by reputational damage and the media fallout from the allegations, not a qualifying illness. The insurer maintains that MRC simply did not invite Spacey back to the show after the allegations surfaced.
Allegations and Previous Legal Proceedings
The initial allegations against Spacey surfaced on October 29, 2017, when actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making a sexual advance in 1986. Days later, CNN published reports from eight anonymous House of Cards crew members alleging “predatory” behavior.
Spacey previously faced legal challenges related to the allegations. In 2022, a jury found him not liable in a civil trial brought by Anthony Rapp in Manhattan federal court. In 2023, he was acquitted of sexual assault charges in London. An arbitrator later found Spacey liable for a $31 million payment to MRC, which was subsequently reduced to $1 million as part of a settlement in exchange for Spacey’s medical records and testimony in the insurance lawsuit.
Spacey’s Testimony Continued
MRC’s lawyer, Adam Ziffer, focused on establishing that Spacey’s medical issue persisted after his treatment at The Meadows. Spacey testified he sought treatment because his “life felt like it was collapsing” and to address questions surrounding the allegations. He acknowledged reading a medical note stating he would “hold himself accountable for the adverse impact of his problematic sexual behaviors on self and others,” but expressed skepticism about the language used in his medical records.
Spacey denied the allegations described in the CNN report, stating the accusers were not “legitimate” and confirming he told an investigator he never touched any crew members in a sexual way. He characterized the arbitration award as a finding that he had “broken an MRC policy,” and argued the arbitrator only found the allegations “more likely” true than not, a standard he described as a “very low bar.”
Spacey also stated he has been “enormously happy” with the outcomes of his legal defenses, having been found not guilty in court. He denied suffering from sex addiction when questioned by a lawyer for Fireman’s Fund.