Guy Pearce has shed new light on his unsettling experiences with Kevin Spacey while working on the 1997 film “LA Confidential.” Pearce, who had previously kept his accounts vague, is now taking a more candid approach in discussing the alleged behavior of Spacey, who has faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, all of which he denies. The actor revealed that he “broke down and sobbed” once he realized the full extent of what had occurred. His revelations come after hearing reports of Spacey’s alleged behavior during his time in London in 2017.
Reflecting on his time on set, Pearce described Spacey as "a handsy guy," a term he used back in 2018. Despite the charm and brilliance that Spacey exuded, Pearce admitted to being frightened by him.
“But I did that thing that you do where you brush it off and go, ‘Ah, that’s nothing. Ah, no, that’s nothing.’ And I did that for five months. And, really, I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man. He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does – really impressive, etc. He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question.” – Guy Pearce
The actor recounted moments of feeling uneasy and even relieved when Spacey's attention was diverted to another actor, Simon Baker. There were also confrontations with Spacey that turned "ugly," especially after the allegations against Spacey came to light in 2017.
Pearce's understanding of his experiences was further clarified by the accusations brought forth by Anthony Rapp. This realization led him to reevaluate his interactions with Spacey and speak more openly about them.
“I heard these stories about Kevin, sort of officially as news stories,” said Pearce. “And I was in London working on something, and I heard [the reports] and I broke down and sobbed, and I couldn’t stop. I think it really sort of dawned on me the impact that had occurred and how I sort of brushed it off and how I had sort of either shelved it or blocked it out, or whatever. That was a really incredible wake-up call.” – Guy Pearce
Feeling compelled to share his truth, Pearce expressed the internal conflict he faced between wanting to move forward without drawing attention to his experience and not allowing Spacey's actions to go unaddressed.
“I just blurted it all out. And of course then it all hit the press. I’m sort of in that weird position of going, ‘I don’t want all the focus on this. I don’t want it. But at the same time I don’t want him to get away with what he gets away with.’” – Guy Pearce
Pearce emphasized his desire to be more honest about the situation and acknowledged that while he may have been victimized to some extent, others have suffered more severely at the hands of sexual predators.
“I just try to be more honest about it now and call it for what it is,” – Guy Pearce
“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.” – Guy Pearce
Spacey's career has struggled significantly following these allegations, impacting his ability to secure major roles both on screen and stage. In response to the broader allegations against him, Kevin Spacey has attempted to convey a sense of accountability for past actions.
“I’m trying to show that I’ve listened,” he said. “I’ve learned. I’ve got the memo. I feel very strongly that whatever mistakes I’ve made in my life, that I paid a price.” – Kevin Spacey