Kevin Spacey Explains Why He Came Out When Accused of Sexual Assault

Kevin Spacey’s UK trial where he is accused of sexual assault by four different men is fully underway, and now, Spacey has spoken out on why he chose the questionable timing he did to publicly come out.

Spacey came out as gay in 2017 when he was first accused by actor Anthony Rapp of sexual misconduct when he was underage. Many people at the time saw it as a publicity move, with Spacey trying to garner sympathy.

Now, in court, he told the judge his reasons for why.

“Members of the LGBTQ+ community were upset because I came out while I was responding to an accusation and now I understand why it was read that way,” Spacey told the court in London. “It wasn’t how I intended it.”

According to Spacey, after he was approached by BuzzFeed about Rapp’s allegations, he had a series of calls with his lawyers, publicists, and business managers trying to figure out how to respond. While he said some members of his team disagreed, they took a vote and decided to make the coming out statement they did.

“People were being professionals and they did their best,” he said. “I was under a lot of pressure that I had to say something. That it would be a PR nightmare if I didn’t.”

He also said he was under pressure from the gay community to come out for a long time, and that he hoped his coming out would “do something at least positive and put the question of my sexuality behind me.”

Spacey is still facing 12 charges from four men who claim he assaulted them at various times while working as artistic director for the Old Vic Theatre in London.