U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan dismissed one of the legal claims againstKevin Spaceyin the $40 million trial against the actor today,theAssociated Pressreports. Judge Kaplan threw out the claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress, stating that elements duplicated accuserAnthony Rapp’s other claim of sexual assault and battery. The trial will move forward with the assault and battery claim that stems from an alleged incident that took place in 1986 while Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26.
On the stand, Rapp, who currently appears onStar Trek: Discovery, recounted the incident to Manhattan federal court jurors, telling them that following a party, he was watching television on a bed in Spacey’s apartment. He said that Spacey walked into the room, lifted him, laid him across the bed and then climbed on top of him. Rapp was able to escape from under Spacey’s body, running to a bathroom before eventually escaping the apartment, while Spacey questioned the teen if he was sure he wanted to leave.
After reading aNew York Timesop-edabout Harvey Weinstein written by Lupita Nyong’o, Rapp decided to disclose his experience with the Academy Award-winning actor. He called a friend who worked for BuzzFeed at the time, and an article was published without Rapp’s name. This was not the only allegation brought to light about the actor during the #MeTooMovement. As other allegations began to surface, Spacey was fired from Netflix’sHouse of Cards, which he had starred in since 2013.
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From Renowned Actor to Notoriety
Spacey also faces sexual assault trial in the UK. In July, The actor appeared in London’s Criminal Court, where he pleaded not guilty to four charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. A trial is scheduled to begin July 27, 2025. All the charges stem from incidents occurring between 2005 and 2013, when Spacey served as the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre.
Kevin Spacey’s illustrious career dates back to the 1980s, when he first appeared onHeartburn. In the 1990s, the actor was cast inThe Usual Suspects, and his portrayal of Roger ‘Verbal’ Kint earned him his first Academy Award in 1996. For years later, the actor received his second Oscar, for his portrayal of Lester Burnham in Sam Mendes’American Beauty. While on the stand, Rapp testified that he had seen some of Spacey’s films, includingAmerican Beauty, noting the relationship between Spacey’s character and a teenager, was"unpleasantly familiar."
Rapp is an actor who was part of the original Broadway cast ofRent, and now appears onStar Trek: Discovery. Spacey’s attorneys have claimed that Rapp’s allegations are a result of Rapp’s jealousy of Spacey’s career, stating that Rapp’s career suffered as a result of his coming out as gay. Rapp has denied that accusation.
