As Kevin Spacey‘s trial continues, accuser Anthony Rapp admitted he wasn’t completely truthful about one of his previously stated reasons for coming forward with his allegation against Spacey, according to NBC News.
In a bombshell interview with BuzzFeed News in October 2017, Rapp alleged Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance toward him when he was 14. Per NBC News, last week, Rapp’s lawyers argued that Rapp was inspired to open up about his allegations to a BuzzFeed News reporter after he read an article in which actress Lupita Nyong’o came forward with a sexual harassment claim against Harvey Weinstein, claiming he “identified” with her experience. (Weinstein has denied all allegations of misconduct.)
On Tuesday, however, Spacey’s lawyers presented screenshots between Rapp and BuzzFeed News reporter Adam B. Vary that appeared to show that the actor reached out to the journalist on October 11, 2017, via text message, writing, “I am wanting to speak out about someone else very powerful in the industry.”
They noted how Nyong’o’s New York Times essay about Weinstein was posted eight days later on October 19, 2017. Vary’s piece was published on October 29, 2017.
During Tuesday’s cross-examination, Rapp admitted to one of Spacey’s attorneys, Jennifer Keller, that his previous claim — that Nyong’o inspired him to share his allegations against Spacey — was “not true.”
In the 2017 BuzzFeed News article, the “Star Trek: Discovery” star claimed Spacey befriended him in the late ’80s while they were both performing on Broadway. Rapp, who was 14 at the time, alleged Spacey, then 26, invited him to his apartment and climbed on top of him before Rapp said he was able to push him off and leave. Spacey, 63, has denied the allegation.
Earlier in the trial, per NBC News, Rapp’s lawyers argued that at the time of the alleged incident, Spacey — who Rapp said was drunk and “unsteady on his feet” — laid on top of Rapp in order to “gratify his own sexual desires.”
However, during the cross-examination, which NBC News described as “lengthy and aggressive,” Keller accused Rapp of being jealous of Spacey’s success, and argued that Rapp thought Spacey was a “fraud” for not coming out as a gay man, which the latter later publicly revealed during his statement following the release of the BuzzFeed News piece.
According to NBC News, Keller asked Rapp, “Do you really expect us to believe you were not envious of someone who has won [awards] You wanted to be that person, didn’t you?” to which the “Rent” star replied, “No, ma’am. I wanted to work as an actor.”
Keller also claimed on the first day of the trial that Rapp “created a story” about Spacey “for sympathy, for attention and to raise his profile.”
Also during the cross-examination, Keller noted a discrepancy in John Barrowman’s deposition with Rapp’s version of events — regarding when and how many times he visited Spacey’s apartment. Rapp said on the stand, “I don’t dispute his [Barrowman] story. I just don’t remember it.” (Barrowman was reportedly staying with Rapp and his mother in New York at the time.)
Meanwhile, during Rapp’s testimony on Tuesday, he reflected on struggling to witness Spacey’s acting continue to flourish in the years following their alleged encounter. “As his name and notoriety increased, it was harder and harder to escape,” Rapp told the court, according to The New York Times.
According to TMZ, in addition to Rapp, there have been over 20 other accusers who have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Rapp.
Spacey has denied all of the allegations levied against him, which included several from his time as artistic director at the Old Vic theater in London from 2004 to 2015.
In late May, it was reported by TMZ that the “House of Cards” star was charged with four counts of sexual assault involving three different men between 2005 and 2013 in the United Kingdom. The charges came after a police investigation, per the Crown Prosecution Service. It is not clear if any stem from the Old Vic allegations.
Spacey appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June and was granted unconditional bail, according to E! News. The following month, he pled not guilty to the sexual assault charges, per NPR at the time.
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