Kevin Spacey Apologizes, Comes Out After Actor Alleges Underage Advances
Update: GLAAD chief executive Sarah Kate Ellis responded to Kevin Spacey‘s apology regarding his alleged sexual misconduct, in which he also publicly came out. “Coming out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault,” Ellis said. “This is not a coming out story about Kevin Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and all those who bravely speak out against unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that.”
Spacey came out as gay in a statement after the actor was accused of sexual advances on an underage actor, Anthony Rapp.
“I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago,” Spacey wrote. “But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”
Spacey’s statement arrived after Buzzfeed published an account of the 1986 encounter as remembered by Rapp, who has appeared in Rent, Dazed and Confused and currently stars on Star Trek: Discovery.
Rapp, who was 14 and a child actor on Broadway at the time, said he attended a party at fellow Broadway actor Spacey’s Manhattan apartment; as the party ended, Rapp – who became bored and ended up just watching television alone in Spacey’s bedroom – was approached and then thrown atop the bed by Spacey, he told Buzzfeed.
“He was trying to seduce me,” Rapp said. “I don’t know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.”
After pushing Spacey off of him, Rapp ran into the bathroom before making his way to the front door. “He followed me to the front door of the apartment, and as I opened the door to leave, he was leaning on the front door[frame],” Rapp said. “And he was like, ‘Are you sure you wanna go?’ I said, ‘Yes, good night,’ and then I did leave.”
Although Rapp initially put the incident behind him, the ascension of Spacey, who would go on to find Hollywood success soon after, haunted Rapp, as seeing Spacey on the big screen and award shows would always bring back his memories of that encounter.
While Rapp often told his friends, fellow colleagues and – in one case – another publication about what happened with Spacey, the accusations took on additional weight in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations.
Not long after Buzzfeed published Rapp’s account of the incident, Spacey issued a long Twitter statement that both apologized for his actions and – after decades of rumors, non-committal confirmations and a refusal to discuss his private life – revealed that he is gay.
“This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life,” Spacey wrote. “I know that there are stories out there about me and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy. As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man.”
Spacey concluded, “I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”
Rapp added on Twitter Sunday night, “I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out to shine a light and hopefully make a difference, as they have done for me. Everything I wanted to say about my experience is in that article, and I have no further comment about it at this time.”
Read Spacey’s entire statement below:
— Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) October 30, 2017