In October 2017, Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him in 1986 when Rapp was only 14 years old. This was followed by a series of similar allegations, and in 2018, Guy Pearce mentioned in an interview that Spacey was a "handsy guy," but quickly clarified that he was not a victim of assault or molestation, and that he had already "handled the situation" when it happened. However, Pearce recently appeared on The Hollywood Reporter podcast, where he fought back tears as he shared what happened between him and Spacey during the 1997 filming of L.A. Confidential.
The Australian actor said that for a long time, he didn’t want to label himself as a victim, because although he was "probably to some extent" one, it was not to the same degree as others who fell prey to sexual predators.
"Oh, it’s nothing. Oh, it’s nothing. I kept telling myself that for five months, and I was truly afraid of Kevin because he was a very aggressive person. Extremely charming and brilliant at what he does – really impressive, etc. He especially knows how to command the attention of others. But I was young and impressionable, and he targeted me, that’s not in question."
When L.A. Confidential was being filmed in Los Angeles, Pearce told his then-wife that he only felt safe on the days when Simon Baker (another actor in the film, known for The Mentalist) was around, because he was "ten times more handsome," and Spacey would focus on him. Pearce also mentioned that, unlike his relationship with Spacey, he’s still on good terms with fellow Australian actor Russell Crowe, who also starred in the crime drama.
Pearce did not go into detail about what specifically happened between him and Spacey or when it occurred, but he mentioned that they had "a few run-ins," some of which "turned ugly." When he later saw the headlines about the allegations against Spacey, he reacted by saying:
"I was working on something in London, and when I heard the news, I collapsed and sobbed, I couldn’t stop. I think that’s when it hit me how much it had affected me, how I had tried not to deal with it, how I had blocked it out, or I don’t know. That really opened my eyes to things."
The actor, who became famous with Memento, is now eagerly awaiting the Academy Awards, where he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Prophecy.
