As Kevin Spacey faces charges in the U.K. over sexual assault allegations, he’s still dealing with legal woes here in the United States over a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against him by fellow actor Anthony Rapp. The Dazed And Confused star accused Spacey of a litany of charges in a civil complaint filed in 2020. Here’s what is going on with that lawsuit today.
Kevin Spacey Facing Legal Challenges On Two Continents
Former House Of Cards star Kevin Spacey is facing sexual assault and abuse allegations on both sides of the pond. Spacey was charged with four counts of sexual assault after three men came forward with sexual abuse allegations against the disgraced actor.
These charges stem from an investigation into allegations shared by actor Anthony Rapp, who accused Spacey of committing sexual assault against him when he was 14 years old. He made the allegations public in 2017, speaking with Buzzfeed about Spacey’s allegedly predatory actions towards him while he was attending a 1986 party at Spacey’s Manhattan home.
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“My memory was that I thought, ‘Oh, everybody’s gone. Well, yeah, I should probably go home,’” Rapp recalled. Spacey, he explained, “sort of stood in the doorway, kind of swaying. My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk…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.”
“He was trying to seduce me,” Rapp said, adding, “I don’t know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.”
Spacey’s Response To Anthony Rapp’s Allegations
When Rapp first came forward with his accusation, Spacey issued a statement saying he had no memory of the night Rapp spoke about, though he apologized “for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunk behavior,” and announced, “I choose now to live as a gay man”—the first time he publicly acknowledged his sexuality.
Rapp eventually filed a lawsuit against Spacey, accusing the older actor of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in September 2020. Earlier this year, Spacey unsuccessfully tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, with his lawyers arguing that the allegations against him about that night at the party were false and never occurred.
The judge evidently disagreed, ruled that the case would move forward, and gave the trial a start date of October 4. The judge also dismissed Rapp’s assault claim as the statute of limitations had already passed. We will continue to monitor this story as new developments unfold.