Zachary Quinto, George Takei and Wanda
Sykes are among the out celebrities criticizing Kevin Spacey's
decision to come out gay amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Spacey's sexuality has been the subject
of rumors for decades.
On Sunday, Anthony Rapp alleged that
Spacey made unwanted sexual advances toward him when he was working
on Broadway at the age of 14 and Spacey was 26. The 46-year-old Rapp
currently plays Lieutenant Paul Stamets on CBS All Access' Star
Trek: Discovery.
(Related: Kevin
Spacey comes out gay; Apologizes for alleged sexual advances toward
Anthony Rapp at 14.)
Spacey responded by saying that he had
no recollection of the incident, then pivoted to long simmering
rumors about his sexuality, saying that he now chooses “to live as
a gay man.”
“It is deeply sad and troubling that
this is how Kevin Spacey has chosen to come out,” tweeted Quinto,
who plays Spock in the Star Trek films. “Not by standing up
as a point of pride – in 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.”
Star Trek actor George Takei
said in a statement: “When power is used in a non-consensual
situation, it is a wrong. For Anthony Rapp, he has had to live with
the memory of this experience of decades ago. For Kevin Spacey, who
claims not to remember the incident, he was the older, dominant one
who had his way. Men who improperly harass or assault do not do so
because they are gay o straight – that is a deflection. They do so
because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.”
“No no, no no no!” Wanda Sykes
messaged. “You do not get to 'choose' to hide under the rainbow!
Kick rocks!”
Author-activist Dan Savage also weighed
in: “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.”
(Related: Netflix
“deeply troubled” over allegations against Kevin Spacey; Cancels
House of Cards.)