Kevin Spacey has caused mouths to drop open everywhere after posting a bizarre video of himself in a festive apron in character as Frank Underwood, his House of Cards role who was killed off after the actor faced claims of sexual assault.

“You wouldn't believe the worst without evidence, would you? You wouldn't rush to judgements without facts, would you?” Spacey asks, addressing viewers directly whilst preparing a turkey in an ambiguously low-lit kitchen. “If I didn't pay the price for things we both know I did do, I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didn't do.”

While seemingly strange and random, reports are speculating that the “Let Me Be Frank” clip – posted on Chrismas Eve (December 24) – is Spacey’s way of denying recent sexual assault charges levied against him.

Spacey will appear in court on January 7 after being charged with sexually assaulting a teenager in Nantucket, Massachusetts in July 2016. The alleged victim is the son of Heather Unruh, a former television news presenter who spoke about the incident last year.

In an interview with Buzzfeed News in October 2017, actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey made a sexual advance towards him when he was aged 14. This was followed by multiple accusations of sexual misconduct by Spacey.

The sixth series of House of Cards was suspended by Netflix, which cut ties with Spacey, the show’s lead protagonist, following the claims. Robin Wright, his co-star, replaced him as the lead in the final series of the show.

The actor has been predominantly silent since his conduct came under scrutiny during the Hollywood sexual harassment scandal known as “#MeToo”, but the video is being seen as his breaking the silence. Spacey said he had no memory of the incident with Rapp, but publicly apologised and issued a total denial of the other allegations.

That might be all for Frank Underwood and House of Cards, but the ordeals of power are very much still in place IRL.