Anthony Rapp shares why he opened up about Kevin Spacey experience
By Mahita Gajanan
January 04, 2018 at 03:19 PM EST
Actor Anthony Rapp said he came forward to accuse Kevin Spacey of making sexual advances toward him when he was a teenager because he was inspired by the many women who have opened up over the last few months in the wake of the allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Harvey Weinstein.
In an interview with the British magazine Attitude, Rapp, currently starring on Star Trek: Discovery, said the culture of silence around sexual harassment is going away as more people speak out.
"In this moment, with what's happened, it's become clear that people can be believed and that it can have an impact," he said. "The entire apparatus that kept people silent and also kept [those guilty of harassment] safe is being dismantled."
Rapp in October told Buzzfeed that he attended a party at Spacey's apartment in 1986, when he was 14. Spacey, 26 at the time, took him to his bed at the end of the party and climbed on top of him, Rapp said. Spacey responded to Rapp's allegation with a widely criticized statement confirming publicly for the first time that the now 58-year-old actor is gay. He said he did not recall the specific encounter with Rapp.
Further allegations against Spacey have come out following Rapp's initial interview with Buzzfeed, including eight of Spacey's former House of Cards colleagues telling CNN that the star created a "toxic" work environment through sexual harassment and "predatory" behavior. Netflix dropped Spacey from House of Cards in November, and Christopher Plummer replaced the actor in Ridley Scott's latest film All the Money in the World.
Rapp said he hoped the effect of opening up about his experiences inspires other victims to come forward.
"There is no such thing as truly being alone, which is what I hope this moment demonstrates, that there is strength in numbers," he said.
This story originally appeared on Time
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