Kevin Spacey says he is "beyond horrified" by allegations that he made sexual advances on a teen boy in 1986. Photo / AP
Kevin Spacey says he is "beyond horrified" by allegations that he made sexual advances on a teen boy in 1986. Photo / AP
Rose McGowan is continuing her campaign against sexual abuse in Hollywood, blasting Kevin Spacey following allegations he groped actor Anthony Rapp when Rapp was 14.
Following Spacey's controversial statement in response to the claims, in which he apologised and came out as gay, McGowan took to Twitter.
"Bye bye, Spacey goodbye, it's your turn to cry, that's why we've gotta say goodbye," the actress wrote.
Actress Rose McGowan speaks at the inaugural Women's Convention in Detroit. Photo / AP
Responding to the House Of Cards star's decision to come out as gay in the statement, which was seen by some as an attempt to overshadow the sexual misconduct claims, she added:
The Jawbreaker star has been leading the charge to uncover sexual harassment in Hollywood since it was revealed she was assaulted by Harvey Weinstein in the 1990s. She stayed silent about the abuse until recently discovering the settlement she made with the disgraced director did not prevent her from speaking out.
Star Trek: Discovery actor Rapp, 46, detailed an alleged incident that he says happened at a 1986 party at Spacey's house when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26, in a new interview with Buzzfeed.
In a statement posted to his official Twitter account, Spacey said he was "beyond horrified" to learn of Rapp's allegations, but said the story had encouraged him to "address other things about my life".
In today's statement, Spacey acknowledged that there had been "stories out there" about his private life over the years.
"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. I want to deal with this openly and honestly and that starts with examining my own behaviour."
Rapp's allegation dates back to 1986, when he was a child actor earning praise for a Broadway run of the play Precious Sons.
Spacey, then a relative unknown, was also on Broadway at the time, and Rapp alleges that Spacey invited him to attend a party he was hosting in his Manhattan apartment.
Arriving at the party alone, Rapp says he found he was the only non-adult there, and spent most of the evening in a bedroom watching television.
As the party ended, Rapp alleges that Spacey appeared in the room visibly drunk and moved towards him.
"He 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 to Buzzfeed.
Anthony Rapp says Spacey groped him and forced himself on him in 1986. Photo / AP
"He was trying to seduce me," Rapp continued. "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 alleges that he was able to break free, fleeing the apartment.
"The older I get, and the more I know, I feel very fortunate that something worse didn't happen," he said. "And at the same time, the older I get, the more I can't believe it. I could never imagine [that] anyone else I know would do something like that to a 14-year-old boy."
Rapp said it was the growing willingness to speak out about sexual misconduct in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sex scandal that made him decide to go public with his allegations.
In his statement, Spacey said he did not recall the events Rapp alleged, "but if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years".
MORE ALLEGATIONS EMERGE
A former US TV anchor has also accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Heather Unruh tweeted that the American Beauty actor assaulted a loved one of hers.
"The #weinsteinscandal has emboldened me ... I was a Kevin Spacey fan until he assaulted a loved one," she wrote. "Time the dominoes fell".
Writer Nadine West tweeted that her friend was also groped by Spacey when he was the director of the Old Vic theatre in London.
"KS [Kevin Spacey] groped my young male friend when they were both working at the Old Vic. Was apparently always known as one to avoid. Sadly unsurprised'.
Spacey is yet to comment on the latest allegations.
