Anthony Rapp: Spacey Lawsuit Was About ‘Shining A Light’

Actor Anthony Rapp (Star Trek: Discovery, RENT) issued a statement following his defeat this week in a $40 million sexual misconduct lawsuit against Oscar winner Kevin Spacey. Rapp had alleged Spacey sexually assaulted him in 1986 when he was 14 and both actors were performing in separate Broadway productions. He claimed Spacey made a pass at him at Spacey’s apartment. Rapp has called the alleged incident “the most traumatic single event” in his life. Rapp says he was inspired to come forward in 2017 by the #MeToo movement. The jury reached its verdict in just over an hour of deliberations finding  Spacey not liable for damages. Addressing a crowd outside the Manhattan courtroom, Rapp lawyer Richard Steigman addressed the crowd outside the Manhattan courtroom saying, “The jury spoke. Anthony told his truth. We respect the jury’s verdict, but it doesn’t change his truth.” Anthony Rapp later released his own statement on Twitter. Saying he was “deeply grateful” for the chance to have his case heard, Rapp added that his lawsuit was always about “the larger movement to stand up against all forms of sexual violence.” https://twitter.com/albinokid/status/1583209513754431488 The full text of Rapp’s statement:

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have my case heard before a jury, and I thank the members of the jury for their service.

“Bringing this lawsuit was always about shining a light, as part of the larger movement to stand up against all forms of sexual violence.

“I pledge to keep on advocating for efforts to ensure that we can live and work in a world that is free from sexual violence of any kind.

“I sincerely hope that survivors continue to tell their stories and fight for accountability.”

https://twitter.com/Zillaxick/status/1583194441946632192 During the trial, actor John Barrowman (who’s been friends with Rapp since high school) testified that Rapp mentioned the alleged incident to him in 1998. But Barrowman didn’t recall Rapp expressing any anger or disdain toward Spacey. He told the jury, “It was a very matter-of-fact conversation about what happened.” Barrowman also testified about a night both he and Rapp had gone out with Spacey in NYC (Barrowman was 19 at the time) and ended up at Spacey’s apartment. Via The Insider:

While Rapp was in the bathroom, Barrowman says Spacey playfully pushed him onto the bed. But Barrowman says it didn’t go further than that because he was “protective” of Rapp and didn’t want him to walk in on him and Spacey in a compromising position.

As soon as Rapp came out of the bathroom, he says he suggested they leave.

“I was a big enough boy. I knew I was gay,” he testified. “To be honest, I was flattered that an older man was showing any interest in me.”

One detail that probably undermined Rapp’s case: Rapp had repeatedly said in his accusations that the alleged incident occurred in Spacey’s “bedroom” where he’d slipped off to watch TV during a party at Spacey’s apartment. But Spacey’s legal team provided evidence during the trial that he had lived in a studio apartment at that time, without a bedroom. https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1583191113904852994 Spacey repeatedly broke down crying on the stand. In emotional testimony, he told jurors about his “humiliating and terrifying” upbringing as the son of a man he described as a “white supremacist and neo-Nazi.” Spacey initially responded to Rapp’s allegations the day after Rapp shared his story with the public. On Twitter, Spacey said he did not remember the alleged incident, but apologized to Rapp for “what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.” He also, after several years of gay rumors, came out: “I choose now to live as a gay man.” https://twitter.com/KevinSpacey/status/924848412842971136 During the trial, Spacey told the jury he regretted that statement saying he should not have apologized for something he did not do. He also expressed remorse for using the statement as an opportunity to come out. “I would have never done anything to hurt the gay community,” he said. Acknowledging he should never have tied addressing the allegations in the same breath that he chose to come out, he conceded, “It was wrong, it was really bad, and I’m deeply sorry.”