'You are not a victim': Kevin Spacey rejects Guy Pearce's claim he 'targeted' him

Spacey told the actor to 'grow up' after Pearce told the Hollywood Reporter Mr Spacey 'targeted me, no question' while they made the 1997 film LA Confidential

Kevin Spacey was legally cleared of misconduct and sexual assault respectively in separate trials in the US and the UK.

Kevin Spacey has responded to Guy Pearce’s allegation the actor “targeted him” during the filming of LA Confidential, telling Mr Pearce to “grow up” and “you are not a victim”.

On Monday, Mr Pearce expanded further on his alleged experiences with Spacey, having previously called him “a handsy guy” in 2018. Mr Spacey, who has been dogged by accusations of sexual misconduct, has conceded he made some “clumsy” approaches to men in the past, but never anything illegal.

Mr Pearce told the Hollywood Reporter Mr Spacey “targeted me, no question” while they made the 1997 film LA Confidential. He said he told his then wife he felt safe on set when his co-star Simon Baker was present, because Mr Spacey focused on Mr Baker instead.

“But I did that thing that you do where you brush it off and go: ‘Ah, that’s nothing. Ah, no, that’s nothing.’ And I did that for five months. And, really, I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man. He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does — really impressive, et cetera. He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question,” Mr Pearce said.

Guy Pearce said the #MeToo movement, which saw multiple allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against men in Hollywood in 2017, was 'a really incredible wake-up call' for him. 

Mr Pearce said the #MeToo movement, which saw multiple allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against men in Hollywood in 2017, was “a really incredible wake-up call” for him. 

Mr Spacey was accused at the time by the actor Anthony Rapp of having made sexual advances towards him at a party in New York in 1986, when Mr Rapp was 14.

Mr Spacey was legally cleared of misconduct and sexual assault respectively in separate trials in the US and the UK, and successfully defended himself against a lawsuit brought by Mr Rapp.

Mr Spacey responded to the allegations on Tuesday on X. “We worked together a long time ago,” he said in a video, addressing Mr Pearce. 

“If I did something then that upset you, you could have reached out to me. We could have had that conversation, but instead, you’ve decided to speak to the press, who are now, of course, coming after me, because they would like to know what my response is to the things that you said. You really want to know what my response is? Grow up.” 

Mr Spacey claimed Mr Pearce flew to Georgia a year after LA Confidential was made “just to spend time with me” while Mr Spacey was filming Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

The Guardian