Zachary Quinto slams ‘manipulative’ Kevin Spacey for coming out during sex assault row
Zachary Quinto has accused Kevin Spacey of a “calculated manipulation” after he came out as gay following allegations of sexual assault.
House of Cards star Keven Spacey confirmed that he is gay for the first time today following allegations he made sexual advances on a teenage boy.
In an interview with BuzzFeed, Star Trek star Anthony Rapp claimed that when he was 14, Spacey invited him to a party at his New York apartment, and while drunk, tried to seduce him by climbing on top of him.
In response, Spacey said he didn’t remember the incident, but apologised for “deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour.”
Writing on Twitter, the House of Cards star came out as gay, saying: “As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women.
“I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man.
“I want to deal with this openly and honestly and that starts with examining my own behaviour.”
However, his statement has been criticised by a number of other LGBT celebs – who have accused Spacey of coming out to deflect from the allegations.
In a statement, Zachary Quinto, who starred alongside Spacey in 2011 film Margin Call, laid into the actor.
He wrote: “It is deeply sad and troubling that this is how Kevin Spacey has chosen to come out.
“Not by standing up as a point of pride – in the light of all his many awards and accomplishments – thus inspiring tens of thousands of struggling LGBTQ kids around the world, but as a calculated manipulation to deflect attention from the very serious accusation that he attempted to molest one.
“I am sorry to hear of Anthony Rapp’s experience and subsequent suffering. And I am sorry that Kevin only saw fit to acknowledge his truth when he thought it could serve him – just as his denial served him for so many years.”
He added: “May Anthony Rapp’s voice be the only one which is amplified here. Victim’s voices are the ones that deserve to be heard.”
Quinto and Rapp share a loose connection through Star Trek – though Quinto appears in the film universe and Rapp the separate TV universe.
The way in which Spacey came out – as he was apologising after allegations of sexual misconduct against a 14-year-old – has produced a huge backlash.
Billy Eichner, of American Horror Story, said: “That Kevin Spacey statement. Nope. Absolutely not. Nope.
“Kevin Spacey has just invented something that has never existed before: a bad time to come out.”
Comedian Cameron Esposito wrote: “Just wanna be really f***ing clear that being gay has nothing to do w/ going after underage folks”.
She added: “I have not chosen to live my life as a gay woman.
“I’m a gay woman, living my life.”
Sue Perkins, the British TV host who opened up earlier this year about coming out, was scathing, accusing Spacey of harming the LGBT community.
She said: “Well done Kev. You stay silent on your sexuality until the time comes when you can conflate it with an alleged sexual assault on a minor.
“In doing so, you simultaneously undervalue the horrific nature of the allegation and set back the LGBT+ community. Well done.”
Radio presenter Iain Dale reflected many people’s anger when he wrote: F**k you Kevin Spacey.
“Nice work in playing into the homophobes’ playbook – equating being gay with an interest in 14 year olds. Sick f**k.
And political commentator Owen Jones was similarly shocked, writing: “Oh wow.
“Kevin Spacey deflecting from attempting to molest a child by coming out as gay is the absolute pits.”
Talk show host responded to the news by sarcastically writing: “The classiest way to come out of the closet is as a PR smokescreen to distract people from the fact that you tried to molest a child.”
LGBT activist and journalist Dan Savage rejected Spacey’s response out of hand.
“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.”
Another journalist, Mark Harris, voiced his anger about choosing this moment to come out.
“I keep rereading this statement and getting angrier,” he said.
“Coming out is a beautiful part of being gay. Attaching it to this vileness is so wrong.”
And Olivier Award winner Jenna Russell was similarly furious, writing: “Kevin Spacey….no, absolutely not.
“The fact you are a gay man has nothing to do with the FACT you are a predator and a bully #enough“.
And Jason Steele, creator of comic videos like Llamas With Hats, had a well-received analogy.
