Kevin Spacey has responded to Guy Pearce's claims that he was sexually "targeted" while filming 1994 crime thriller L.A. Confidential.
On a recent episode of The Hollywood Reporter podcast Awards Chatter, Pearce emotionally reflected on his time shooting L.A. Confidential with Spacey. After calling the disgraced Academy Award-winning actor a "handsy guy" in 2018, Pearce elaborated on his thoughts from nearly six years ago, claiming that he was "a victim to a degree."
Pearce claimed that he initially ignored Spacey's inappropriate behavior as "nothing" for "five months" because he was "really scared" of the actor's "aggressive" nature. "He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does — really impressive, etcetera," he said. "He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question."
Spacey, who's seen an onslaught of sexual misconduct allegations since 2017, addressed Pearce in a clip posted to X.
"Guy Pearce: I have now read the comments that you've made about me and while I would've preferred not to play this out in the media, you obviously have your own reasons for wanting to do exactly that," Spacey said on Tuesday.
"We worked together a long time ago," Spacey continued. "If I did something then that upset you, you could've reached out to me. We could've had that conversation. But instead, you've decided to speak to the press, who are now coming after me because they would like to know what my response is to the things that you've said."
Spacey continued by telling Pearce to "grow up" and alleged that one year after filming L.A. Confidential, Pearce flew to Savannah, Georgia, to "spend time" with him. "I mean, did you tell the press that, too?" Spacey asked. "Or does that not fit into the victim narrative you have going?"
Spacey apologized if he "didn't get the message" that he disliked "spending time" with the American Beauty actor. "Maybe there's another reason, I don't know," he continued. "That doesn't make any sense that you were just leading me on, right? But here you are now, on a mission some 28 years later after I've been through hell and back to do what? Just in time to stop the bad guy, huh?"
After asking Pearce, "What took you so long?" Spacey offered to "have a conversation." "I've got nothing to hide," he continued. "But Guy: You need to grow up. You are not a victim."
Spacey fell from grace within the last decade when multiple men alleged that he'd made sexual advances towards them. After a series of lawsuits, last July, Spacey was acquitted on charges involving alleged sexual offenses against four men from 2001 to 2013.