HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - The intensely private Kevin Spacey is publicly apologizing to ``Star Trek: Discovery'' actor Anthony Rapp, who says he was the victim of an unwanted sexual advance from Spacey in 1986, when Rapp was 14 years old and Spacey 26.
In his statement, Spacey also confirmed he is gay, saying he chooses ``now to live as a gay man.''
Rapp, 46, came forward with his allegation in a BuzzFeed article published Sunday night. The article described an encounter with Spacey that transpired when Rapp was a teen working on Broadway in New York.
Rapp said he wandered into the bedroom and spent the evening watching TV after a party at Spacey's apartment.
Then, Spacey entered. ``He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold,'' he said. ``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.
``He was trying to seduce me,'' said Rapp. ``... I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.''
Rapp said he has wrestled with the events of that night for decades and was emboldened to share his story by recent accusations of sexual assaults by dozens of women speaking out against disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Spacey responded to Rapp's allegations on Twitter less than three hours after Rapp's story appeared online.
``I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I'm beyond horrified to hear his story,'' he said.
He said he does not remember the encounter, which would have occurred more than 30 years ago. ``But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.''
Spacey then revealed he is gay.
Reactions on Twitter were hostile toward Spacey, as reflected in a tweet from gay author Dan Savage.
``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,'' Savage tweeted.