Kevin Spacey blasted for response to sexual misconduct claim

For a few hours after a bombshell interview in which actor Anthony Rapp alleged Kevin Spacey had made a sexual advance toward him more than 30 years ago, when Rapp was just 14, Spacey remained silent.

Then, at precisely midnight, the veteran actor posted a two-paragraph statement on Twitter.

In the first, Spacey said he was "beyond horrified" to hear Rapp's story but did not remember the encounter, which would have taken place when Spacey was 26. But he apologised "if I did behave then as [Rapp] describes ... for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour".

Then, in the second paragraph, Spacey came out as gay.

"This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life," he wrote. "I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behaviour."

His statement outraged many, particularly in the LGBT community, who accused Spacey of trying to deflect from a serious accusation - making a sexual advance on a minor - by coming out and implying that it was his choice to be gay. For years, the actor has danced around rumours he had relationships with other men.

"Coming out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault," GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said.

Even worse, they said, was the implication that the two paragraphs in his statement might be related in any way.

"Kevin Spacey has set gay rights back 50 years by a) conflating homosexuality with [Rapp's allegations]," one Twitter user said, "and b) Saying that being gay is a 'choice'."

Soon, Twitter was flooded with memes from people who were equally angered by Spacey's approach to the allegations. People also criticised Spacey for seeming to qualify his apology with the fact that he was drunk at the time.

Rapp told BuzzFeed he was in Spacey's apartment for a party in 1986, and that Spacey picked him up, placed him on a bed and climbed on top of him.

Rapp, a child actor at the time, was 14, and Spacey was 26, BuzzFeed reported.

Reports detailing allegations of ongoing sexual harassment and abuse by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein prompted Rapp to speak publicly about Spacey, BuzzFeed reported.

"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," Rapp said on Twitter.

The passage of 31 years since the alleged incident protects Spacey from criminal prosecution or a civil suit under New York state law.

A Netflix representative confirmed the upcoming sixth season of House of Cards, which starred Spacey, would be the show's last, but said its cancellation was decided months ago.

Beau Willimon, the creator of House of Cards, yesterday called Rapp's story "deeply troubling."

"During the time I worked with Kevin Spacey on House of Cards I neither witnessed nor was aware of any inappropriate behaviour on set or off," Willimon said. "That said, I take reports of such behaviour seriously ... I feel for Mr Rapp and I support his courage."