Kevin Spacey tells Guy Pearce to ‘grow up’ after the actor revealed he was ‘targeted’ while working on ‘L.A. Confidential’

Former Hollywood powerhouse Kevin Spacey saw his career collapse in 2017 amid multiple sexual misconduct accusations made against him. Recently, The Brutalist actor Guy Pearce opened up about his experience with Spacey, and now he’s clapped back with a sharp response.

In 1997, Spacey and Pearce shared the screen in the noir crime film L.A. Confidential. In 2018 amid the former’s scandal, Pearce appeared in an Australian show where he praised his former co-star’s acting prowess but described him as being “a handsy guy” when they filmed the movie. His words sparked controversy and he later clarified that he was not sexually assaulted, but he had an “uncomfortable” experience working with the actor.

Speaking to Scott Feinberg on the Awards Chatter podcast recently, Pearce revealed more details about working with Spacey. He said that in the span of five months, he was brushing off Spacey’s repeated advances toward him, calling him an “aggressive man.” In terms of being an actor, Pearce said Space had the command of the room and was “extremely charming and brilliant.” Looking back, he added, “I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question.” Pearce was around 29 years old to Spacey’s 37 or 38 during the production of L.A. Confidential.

Now, Spacey has hit back. On Feb. 19, the 65-year-old actor posted a video responding to his former co-star’s accusations. He prefaced his response by noting that they worked together a long time ago and said that if Pearce had experienced something upsetting on set, he could have addressed it with him directly. What Spacey doesn’t understand is why Pearce is speaking about it publicly now, leading to relentless media inquiries about Spacey’s reaction. “You really know what my response is? Grow up,” he said.

Spacey, directly addressing Pearce in the video, asked whether the actor told the press that he flew to Georgia to visit Spacey while he was on the set of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil one year after they finished shooting L.A. Confidential just to “spend time” with him. “Did you tell the press that too, or does that not fit into the victim narrative you have going?” Spacey asked.

Clearly frustrated, Spacey questions Pearce’s motive for talking about it nearly three decades after they worked together. “Here you are now, on a mission, some 28 years later, after I’ve been to hell and back, to do what? Just in time to stop the bad guy?” Spacey asked. He then challenged Pearce to talk to him anytime, even “live on X,” as he said he didn’t have anything to hide. He concluded the video by saying, “Guy, you need to grow up. You are not a victim.”

Spacey has not been convicted of any crimes connected to the accusations against him. One case was dropped when the accuser refused to testify, a civil lawsuit found him not liable for sexual misconduct, and he was acquitted of all nine sexual assault charges in a separate case in the U.K. Despite his legal victories, Spacey’s career and life are shattered. He remains shut out from mainstream Hollywood projects and only had a few roles in independent films in recent years.