Celebrities React to Kevin Spacey’s Statement Regarding Molestation Accusations

House of Cards  starKevin Spacey's statement in response to recent accusations from actor Anthony Rapp — of forcible sexual advances made on him by Spacey, when Rapp was underage — has drawn a firestorm of criticism.

Spacey is being blasted from all corners of Hollywood and beyond for what is being called a " PR smokescreen ," by coming out in the statement, as a way of distracting from actor Rapp's allegation that Spacey made sexual advances on him when Rapp was just 14.

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Rapp came forward with his allegation yesterday (Oct. 29) in an interview with Buzzfeed News, saying that at a party at Spacey's Manhattan apartment in 1997, the actor "picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me."

In response, Spacey released a statement, saying he was "beyond horrified" to hear Rapp's story, and that he did not "remember the encounter" as "it would have been over 30 years ago." In the same statement, Spacey claimed hearing Rapp's story had inspired him "to address other things about my life," stating "I choose now to live as a gay man."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/X6ybi5atr5″>pic.twitter.com/X6ybi5atr5</a></p>&mdash; Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinSpacey/status/924848412842971136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

Actors, artists and organizations have been lambasting Spacey since his statement's release, and come to the defense of Rapp.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nope to Kevin Spacey's statement. Nope. There's no amount of drunk or closeted that excuses or explains away assaulting a 14-year-old child.</p>&mdash; Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) <a href="https://twitter.com/fakedansavage/status/924862060562857984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bye bye, Spacey goodbye, it's your turn to cry, that's why we've gotta say goodbye. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROSEARMY?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROSEARMY</a></p>&mdash; rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) <a href="https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/924866515140268032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This whole Kevin Spacey situation reminds me that queerness is still more shocking than sexual violence to far too many people.</p>&mdash; Raquel Willis — (@RaquelWillis_) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaquelWillis_/status/924844428656705536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Spacey sexually assaulting a minor has nothing to do with homosexuality. Also, someone should explain this to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KevinSpacey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KevinSpacey</a>.</p>&mdash; Aimee Carrero Rock (@aimeecarrero) <a href="https://twitter.com/aimeecarrero/status/924861884813201408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Double shame on Kevin Spacey for calling on the old, tired, erroneous, and harmful idea that there's some link between gayness and sexual predation as a distraction from his wrongs.</p>&mdash; wikipedia brown (@eveewing) <a href="https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/925003859017187328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coming out as a gay man is not the same thing as coming out as someone who preyed on a 14-year-old. Conflating those things is disgusting</p>&mdash; Richard Lawson (@rilaws) <a href="https://twitter.com/rilaws/status/924854147077296128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also chimed in on the allegations. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This isn't a coming out story about Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp & those who speak out about unwanted sexual advances</p>&mdash; Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahkateellis/status/925020955147194368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

Spacey has faced even more intense criticism from all corners of the LGBTQ community, who refuse to support his decision to use coming out as a way to "deflect attention" from Rapp's very serious allegations.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/pg2PLnHpXt">pic.twitter.com/pg2PLnHpXt</a></p>&mdash; Zachary Quinto (@ZacharyQuinto) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZacharyQuinto/status/925040235066679296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just wanna be really fucking clear that being gay has nothing to do w/ going after underage folks</p>&mdash; Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) <a href="https://twitter.com/cameronesposito/status/924854777502035968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Spacey really tried to throw the entire LGBT community under a bus and call it solidarity in an effort to mask his personal failings.</p>&mdash; deray mckesson (@deray) <a href="https://twitter.com/deray/status/924992427269787653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Spacey has just invented something that has never existed before: a bad time to come out.</p>&mdash; billy eichner (@billyeichner) <a href="https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/924867215459012608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>

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