Kevin Spacey’s attorneys have reportedly told ‘Variety’ that their client believes that Anthony Rapp has made up the sexual misconduct allegations against the ‘House of Cards’ star.
Spacey’s lawyers provided the reasoning behind the claim, saying that Rapp was envious of Spacey’s success and bitter about his own career stagnation.
In opening statements for the actor’s civil trial, attorney Jennifer L. Keller was cited by ‘Variety’ as saying, “He blames Mr.
Spacey for everything that hasn’t gone right in his life.”
Rapp “became resentful about not obtaining parts as an openly gay man,” Keller noted, and his career “peaked around the year 2000.”
According to “Variety,” Spacey was present in court in Manhattan as his attorneys fought back against Rapp’s $40 million civil complaint. When Rapp was 14 years old and Spacey was 26, Rapp claims Spacey made sexual attempts toward him.
According to ‘Variety,’ Anthony Rapp’s defense team included a photo of the actor from the time of the claimed assault, when he had a comb-over hairdo, wore spectacles, and had a very boyish appearance, to emphasize to the jury that the actor was just an adolescent at the time of the alleged attack.
They asked the jury to imagine Rapp, not as a 50-year-old actor watching the trial, but as the youngster he once was.
Rapp alleged that he was the final person at a party held at Spacey’s New York City residence and that he walked into the actor’s bedroom.
Apparently, Spacey prevented him from leaving the room by blocking the door and then lifted him up and deposited him on his bed. After that, he allegedly went up on top of Rapp.
Keller, however, stated that Spacey’s apartment was a studio, and displayed a floor plan on a screen, which she claimed disproved Rapp’s account of what happened.
She said, “You have to make up a wall and a door for the plot to work.”
Rapp’s team, on the other hand, painted a terrifying picture of the night, saying that the kid “felt the weight of Spacey” on top of him and “froze.” They said Rapp was able to seek refuge in a restroom, which served as “a safe spot, a place to withdraw,” at some point.
Rapp left the actor’s flat, shook up, but eventually.