Kevin Spacey has released a statement saying he is seeking treatment following allegations of sexual assault.
In a statement, a representative for Spacey said: “Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment. No other information is available at this time.”
The statement comes after the House of Cards actor was recently accused of making sexual advances towards actor Anthony Rapp when he was 14.
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In an interview with BuzzFeed, Rapp (Star Trek: Discovery, Dazed and Confused) said Spacey befriended him while they both performed in Broadway shows.
Rapp was 14 when he attended a party at Spacey’s apartment in 1986, he said. At the end of the night, an inebriated Spacey picked him up, placed him on his bed, and climbed on top of him, Rapp said.
Rapp claims the 26-year-old was holding him down tightly, but he was able to get away and left the apartment.
Rapp, now 46, said he came forward after allegations against Harvey Weinstein sparked conversations about sexual abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry.
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Spacey denied the accusation in a tweet, saying he is “beyond horrified” by allegations that he made sexual advances on a teen boy.
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Actor Roberto Cavazos came forward on Tuesday and recounted his own alleged experience with Spacey while also claiming that Spacey’s inappropriate behaviour toward younger actors was “common” during his 12-year-run as artistic director at The Old Vic theatre in London, U.K.
“I myself had a couple of unpleasant encounters with Spacey that were on the edge of being considered assault,” Cavazos wrote in Spanish on his Facebook page. “In fact, if I was a woman, I probably wouldn’t have doubted in identifying them as such, but I guess the lack of a direct or aggressive action led me to justify the incident as ‘one of those things.’”
“There are many of us who have a ‘Kevin Spacey story,’” Cavazos, who performed in many productions at The Old Vic theatre continued. “It seems like you only needed to be a man under 30 for him to feel free to touch us. It was so common that it turned into a (very bad) joke amongst us.”
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Cavazos went on to describe the way Spacey allegedly approached young male actors.
“I can’t recall how many people told me the same story: Spacey would ask them to meet to ‘talk about their career.’ When they got to the theatre, he had a beautifully lit picnic ready on stage with champagne,” Cavazos wrote. “Each story varies in how far the picnic went, but the pattern was the same. It was more common to find Spacey at the bar of his theatre, cornering whoever caught his attention.”
“That’s what happened to me the second encounter,” Cavazos added. “I never let anything happen, but know of a few who were too scared to stop him.”
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A spokesperson for The Old Vic theatre in London said in a statement obtained by the Evening Standard that there were “no complaints made against him” during Spacey’s time as artistic director from 2003-2015 and that “no complaints have been made since he left.”
The Old Vic has set up a confidential complaints process for any individuals who wish to come forward.
It said in a statement: “Inappropriate behaviour by anyone working at The Old Vic is completely unacceptable. We aim to foster a safe and supportive environment without prejudice, harassment or bullying of any sort, at any level. We want our employees to feel confident, valued and proud to be part of The Old Vic family. Any behaviour we become aware of which contravenes these goals will not be tolerated.”
Following the initial allegations against Spacey, the Emmy Awards’ organizational body announced that it is rescinding an award it was going to bestow on Spacey at next year’s ceremony.
—With files from Chris Jancelewicz
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