More individuals have stepped forward to accuse Kevin Spacey of sexual harassment and assault, only days after similar accusations by actor Anthony Rapp. This news comes as Spacey’s brother, Randall Fowler, claimed to the press that they were both abused by their father as children.
On Sunday, Rapp claimed that Spacey had cornered him during a party in the 1980s, took him to the bedroom of Spacey’s New York apartment and laid down on top of him in a sexual manner. Rapp would have been 14 at the time. Spacey responded to this allegation with a sideways apology and by coming out as a gay man, a move that angered many inside and outside of the LGBT community who felt he was using that revelation as a way of deflecting the charges.
By Monday, Netflix had already announced that “House of Cards,” which Spacey stars in and producers, would be ending after its currently in-production sixth season. On Tuesday, the streaming giant halted production on the show altogether, and the International Emmys rescinded an honor Spacey was to receive this year.
Tuesday night, actor and filmmaker Roberto Cavazos came forward, claiming that Spacey had approached and harassed him while both were working at London’s Old Vic Theater. While Cavazos was not clear about exactly when his negative experiences with Spacey happened, both were at the Old Vic during the older performer’s tenure as its artistic director, which lasted from 2003 to 2015.
In a translated Spanish-language social-media post, Cavazos spoke less about himself and more about the atmosphere at the Old Vic. “There are many of us with a ‘Kevin Spacey story'” he said. “It appears that all that was needed was a male under the age of 30 for Mr. Spacey to feel free to touch us. It was so common that it turned into a local joke (in very bad taste).”
He added that young male actors would often find themselves invited to have a chat about their futures with Spacey, only to find, in a pattern familiar with anyone who’s been covering the ever-growing list of allegations against powerful men such as Harvey Weinstein and others, something very different waiting for them. Cavazos claims that Spacey would greet these actors with a “picnic with champagne on the stage, all beautifully lit up.” He also noted that Spacey had a habit of “squeez[ing] whoever caught his attention.”
In response, the Old Vic has released a statement saying, “Inappropriate behavior by anyone working at The Old Vic is completely unacceptable. We aim to foster a safe and supportive environment without prejudice, harassment or bullying of any sort, at any level.” Reportedly, the organization is conducting an investigation of Spacey’s behavior during his tenure there.
Representatives for Spacey have denied any wrongdoing.
