House of Cards star Kevin Spacey has drawn criticism for "deflecting" allegations he made a sexual advance towards a teenage boy in 1986 by coming out as gay in his apology.
Actor Anthony Rapp, known for his roles in the musical Rent and Star Trek: Discovery, told Buzzfeed he was invited to a party at Spacey's apartment when he was 14 years old.
He alleges Spacey, then 26, put him on his bed and climbed on top of him at the end of the night.
In response to the allegations, Spacey released a statement saying: "If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour."
He continued to say the allegations had "encouraged me to address other things about my life".
"I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man," Spacey's statement said.
But the apology was slammed by people on social media who were angry the star linked the sexual harassment allegations with his sexuality.
"Coming out as a deflection away from assault allegations is SOMETHING," writer Kevin O'Keefe tweeted.
Some were upset he had "thrown the gay community under the bus" and said Spacey's sexuality was "not a prop for [him] to hide behind".
But some people defended Spacey's apology as being "brave" and "honest".
Rapp, who is now 46, told BuzzFeed: "He [Spacey] 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 ... I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."
Rapp said he pushed Spacey off him and left the apartment, confused as to what had happened.
"The older I get, and the more I know, I feel very fortunate that something worse didn't happen," he said.
"And at the same time, the older I get, the more I can't believe it."
