Kevin Spacey rebuts claim that he ‘targeted’ Guy Pearce during ‘L.A. Confidential’

Actor Kevin Spacey addresses the media outside Southwark Crown Court in London, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. A Jury cleared Kevin Spacey of nine sex offences. The Hollywood star, 64, had been on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of sexually assaulting four men in the period between 2001 and 2013. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) (Alberto Pezzali/AP)

Actor Kevin Spacey has responded to comments made by his former costar Guy Pearce, who recently said he was “targeted” by Spacey during their time filming the hit 1997 film “L.A. Confidential.”

“We worked together a long time ago. If I did something then to upset you, then you know you could have reached out to me. We could have had that conversation,” Spacey said in a video posted to X, speaking to Pearce directly.

Spacey said that members of the media have been reaching out to him in light of Pearce’s comments, asking for a response. “You really want to know what my response is? Grow up,” he said.

The comments to which Spacey was referring were made in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast, where “The Brutalist” star was asked by host Scott Feinberg if he had an “okay experience” working with Spacey, who has faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations over the years –the first of which came to light amid the reemergence of the #MeToo movement in 2017 – all of which he has denied.

“People know that I didn’t and I’ve sort of spoken publicly about it,” said Pearce, who starred alongside fellow Aussie actor Russell Crowe and Spacey in the noir film. “I did that thing I think a lot of people do. I don’t want to use the word ‘victim’ even though I probably was a victim to a degree. I was certainly not a victim by any means to the extent that other people have been to sexual predators.”

During the podcast, Pearce, who is up for the best supporting actor Oscar this year as a first-time nominee, said that while working with Spacey he “brushed off” his feelings, dismissing them as “nothing.”

“And I did that for five months and really I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man, extremely charming and brilliant at what he does really impressive, etc,” Pearce said. “He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and, you know, susceptible, and he targeted me, no question.”

Spacey said in his video statement that Pearce visited him in Savannah, Georgia about a year after filming concluded to spend time with him. Spacey was filming “Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil” there at the time.

“Did you tell the press that, too, or does that not fit into the victim narrative you have going?” Spacey said. “So, anyway, I apologize that I didn’t get the message that you don’t like spending time with me. I mean, maybe there was another reason. I don’t know, but that doesn’t make any sense that you would have just been leading me on, right?”

CNN reached out to Spacey for comment on Tuesday morning. CNN has also reached out to representatives for Pearce for further comment.

Pearce later sounded choked up on the podcast, recalling how he felt after the news stories broke with the allegations against Spacey.

“I was in London working on something, and I heard (the reports) and I broke down and sobbed and I couldn’t stop,” Pearce said. “I think it really dawned on me the impact that had occurred and how I sort of brushed it off and how I had either shelved it or blocked it out or whatever. That was a really incredible wake up call.”

Spacey said that he “would have preferred not to play this out in the media,” telling Pearce “you obviously have your own reasons for wanting to do exactly that.”

“Here you are now, on a mission, some 28 years later, after I’ve been to hell and back, to do what? Just in time to stop the bad guy?” Spacey said.

Spacey added that he has “nothing to hide” and invited Pearce to have a conversation with him “live on X.”

“But, Guy, you need to grow up,” Spacey said. “You are not a victim.”

In 2017, actor Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey had made a sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was then 14 and Spacey was 26. In 2022, Spacey was found not liable for battery against Rapp.

As other allegations of abuse followed the 2017 allegations, Netflix cut ties with Spacey on the series “House of Cards” and his scenes in the Ridley Scott film “All the Money in the World” were re-shot by the late Christopher Plummer.

Spacey has denied any allegations of improper or criminal behavior.

In 2023, Spacey was cleared of all charges after a four-week trial in London on claims of sexual assault.

The allegations covered a period between 2004 and 2013, when Spacey served as artistic director at the Old Vic theater in the British capital. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

In 2024, Spacey said there was a “rush to judgment” against him. He has previously received support from actors Sharon Stone and Liam Neeson.

Article written by By Lisa Respers France.