Actor Anthony Rapp (Star Trek: Discovery) has accused Kevin Spacey of making a pass toward him when he was only 14.
In response, Spacey tweeted his “sincerest apology” late Sunday night and finally came out as a gay man, a fact known to insiders for decades.
Rapp told BuzzFeed News in a story that posted online Sunday that the two met in 1986 when both were appearing in Broadway shows (Rapp in Precious Sons and Spacey in Long Day’s Journey Into Night). One night, Spacey invited Rapp to his apartment for a party; later, Rapp says, he found himself bored and watching TV in Spacey’s bedroom when he realized that he was the only one left in the apartment with the actor, who was 26 at the time.
Spacey then appeared and “sort of stood in the doorway, kind of swaying. My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk.”
Rapp, who is now 46, claimed that Spacey then “picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.”
Rapp alleged that Spacey was holding him down while tightening his grip on Rapp, who was able to get away after some time.
“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.”
Rapp then went into the bathroom and closed the door. “I was like, ‘What is happening?’” he told BuzzFeed News. “I saw on the counter next to the sink a picture of him having his arm around a man. So I think on some level I was like, ‘Oh. He’s gay. I guess.’ Then I opened the door, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to go home now.’ 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]. And he was like, ‘Are you sure you wanna go?’ I said, ‘Yes, good night,’ and then I did leave.”
Rapp feels lucky that nothing more happened but is still incredulous that he had that experience at age 14. He thought about reaching out to Spacey afterward but ultimately decided not to.
The two later crossed paths at the 1999 Tony Awards, where Rapp was performing and Spacey was nominated. He isn’t sure if Spacey has any recollection of the alleged encounter.
Said Rapp: “He looked at me, and I thought I saw some form of recognition, and I quickly looked away. I passed him and went out the door.”
Spacey’s Apology
Spacey, now 58, tweeted a statement late Sunday night in response, apologizing for “what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.” He said he does not remember the encounter but is “beyond horrified” to hear Rapp’s account.
He also notes that he’s had romantic relationships with both men and women, and he’s now choosing “to live as a gay man.”
Spacey’s statement was criticized by many.