At the 70th Academy Awards, when L.A. Confidential was touted as one of the frontrunners in a tighter-than-usual Best Picture race against classics like Titanic and Good Will Hunting, Australian actor Guy Pearce looked like he was on top of the world. But from the many accounts of what it’s actually like to work with Kevin Spacey, we now know that Pearce, at the time, actually felt “targeted” and “uncomfortable.”
As things stand, Kevin Spacey has long defended his conduct on set, claiming he has never committed anything unlawful. The only real comeuppance he has faced for his allegations — despite multiple coming from different individuals — was being ordered to pay a production company $31 million for violating their internal sexual assault policy. However, due to the media blitz surrounding the scandal, Spacey revealed on Piers Morgan Uncensored that the financial and reputational fallout ultimately cost him his house and career.
Now riding high, Pearce stopped by Awards Chatter to discuss, among other things, his nomination for The Brutalist and to reflect on his experience working with Spacey. In the wake of the #MeToo movement in late 2017, which rocked Hollywood to the extent that even Cameron Diaz was pleasantly surprised upon her return to acting, Pearce was asked about the allegations against Spacey during a morning show in Australia. At the time, he brushed it off by simply calling Spacey “very handsy.” However, in this The Hollywood Reporter podcast, Pearce finally felt ready to share more.
Apparently, he wasn’t as nonchalant behind the scenes as he had made it seem. Pearce recalled hearing the news while in London for work and immediately breaking down in tears. The revelations forced him to truly reconsider what had happened to him all those years ago. This time, Pearce felt brave enough to share his personal account of how he remembers Spacey’s behavior on set:
“I did that for five months, and really, I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man. He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does—really impressive, etc. He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question.”
At the time, Spacey had already won his first of two Oscars and a Tony Award, so with the Harvey Weinstein-esque attitudes of that era, it’s easy to imagine how isolated and powerless the then-newcomer Pearce must have felt.
While Spacey might never face legal consequences, it’s worth considering RAINN’s official statistics: 63% of sexual assaults in the United States never get reported, and even when they do, only 50 out of 1,000 cases result in an arrest.
Pearce addressing this now is particularly significant. His character in The Brutalist, which earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, is a despicable, wealthy post-war baron who sexually assaults László Tóth (Adrien Brody). In fact, one of the most emotional scenes in the movie is when he is finally confronted for his actions. That Pearce’s Hollywood career has fortuitously come full circle in such a role is quite fascinating.
The Brutalist expanded nationwide in theaters on Jan. 24. For many reasons, it is shaping up to be one of the defining cinematic experiences of the decade, and we wouldn’t be too surprised if it secures a couple of awards come Oscar night.
