It’s been eight years since Matt Lauer was fired from the Today show for sexual misconduct, but he hasn’t given up hope of returning to television. A source tells Star that the reviled news anchor, 67, is “desperate for a shot of redemption” amid reports that he is in talks to come back to mainstream media in some way. “Matt spent the first year or two biding his time, waiting for the right comeback opportunity, but it hasn’t happened despite his best efforts and that’s frustrating,” says the source. “He says the hell he’s been through is totally unjust.”
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Lauer went from reporting the news to becoming the story itself in late 2017 when former NBC News producer Brooke Nevils accused the morning show titan of raping her at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, per People. Following his firing, multiple women, including several of Lauer’s current and former staffers, came forward to Variety with their own allegations, ranging from inappropriate comments to sexual misconduct. Lauer denied raping Nevils but in a statement to Today, he admitted “there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed,” adding that while “repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching,” he was going to make it his “full-time job.”
It’s reportedly been his only form of employment since. “Matt was at the peak of his career and it all disappeared in the blink of an eye,” says the source. “But he’s refusing to give up.” To that end, the newscaster has been tapping all the contacts he still has in the industry, says the source. “Ideally, Matt would love to be back on screen in 2026. He’s saying this could and should be his comeback year.”
Ready For Revival
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Lauer isn’t the only Hollywood castoff angling for a second chance. Once-acclaimed star Kevin Spacey faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct during the MeToo movement in 2017, resulting in his firing from Netflix’s House of Cards. “I’m living in hotels, I’m living in Airbnbs,” the two-time Oscar winner, who denied the allegations and was found not liable for battery against Andrew Rapp in 2022 and not guilty of nine sexual assault charges in 2023, recently told The Telegraph. “I literally have no home. The costs over these last seven years have been astronomical. I’ve had very little coming in and everything going out.”
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Despite facing three civil sexual assault allegations in London next year, which he denies, he’s been starring in a nightclub act in Cyprus and Tel Aviv and firmly believes he deserves a second chance. “We are in touch with some extremely powerful people who want to put me back to work,” the Usual Suspects star, 66, revealed. “And that will happen in its right time.” All he needs, Spacey said, is a big name to give the industry “permission” to welcome him back. He’s aiming high: “My feeling is if Martin Scorsese or Quentin Tarantino call [my manager] tomorrow, it will be over,” he said. “I will be incredibly honored and delighted when that level of talent picks up the phone.”
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So will some of his Hollywood peers. “I can’t wait to see Kevin back at work,” Sharon Stone told The Telegraph in 2024. “He is a genius.” Stephen Fry and F. Murray Abraham also threw their support behind Spacey while speaking with the publication, as did Liam Neeson. Said the Taken star, “Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.” (Filmmaker Woody Allen has also garnered A-list support. Scarlett Johansson defended him after his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow accused him of sexual abuse; after an investigation, Allen was not charged with a crime.)
Back In Business
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Is Hollywood ready to un-cancel celebrities? In Brett Ratner’s case, the answer is yes. The 56-year-old director and producer became embroiled in scandal in 2017 after six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct, per Los Angeles Times. Despite losing his $450 million co-producing deal with Warner Bros., the Rush Hour director, who denied the accusations, has found a way back behind the camera. His project: a documentary about first lady Melania Trump, titled Melania, in theaters Jan. 30, according to Variety. “He’s confident it will lead to a lot more opportunities,” says Star’s source. “He’s had a rough few years but to hear his side of the story, things are coming together now, and he’s well on track to being a bona fide powerbroker again.”
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