Kevin Spacey has testified in his own defence at a civil trial in New York, denying claims that he sexually assaulted actor Anthony Rapp when Rapp was 14 years old. The Oscar-winning actor described the allegations as 'not true' and expressed shock when Rapp went public with them five years ago.
Rapp, now 50 and known for his role in Star Trek: Discovery, is seeking $40m (£36m) in damages. He alleges that Spacey, then aged 26 or 27, lifted him up at a party in 1986, briefly touched his buttocks, and placed him on a bed. Spacey testified that he would not have been sexually interested in Rapp as he was underage.
During his testimony, Spacey also discussed his upbringing, describing his father as a 'white supremacist and neo-Nazi'. He said this background instilled in him a hatred for prejudice and discouraged him from publicly disclosing his sexuality sooner. Spacey came out as gay in 2017 in response to Rapp's allegations, a move criticised as deflecting attention.
On Monday, Judge Lewis A Kaplan dismissed Rapp's claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress, leaving only a battery claim for the jury to consider. A previous sexual assault charge was dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
Spacey faces separate legal challenges, including five charges of sexual assault in the UK, to which he has pleaded not guilty. In August, he was ordered to pay $31m to the producers of House of Cards after being fired from the show.
