This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Several 'House Of Cards' Employees Level New Accusations Against Kevin Spacey

A former production assistant says the actor sexually assaulted him.

An anonymous former production assistant for Netflix's "House of Cards" said actor Kevin Spacey put his hands down the man's pants in a nonconsensual encounter, according to a report from CNN.

The story, published Thursday, alleges Spacey created a "toxic" work environment on the set of the political drama, citing interviews with eight people who work or worked on the show. One production assistant, whose account had not previously been reported, told the outlet he complained to supervisors about Spacey sexually harassing him during his stint working on the show in its early seasons. The supervisor allegedly told the man they would make sure he was never alone with the actor on set.

Several months later, when the harassment had stopped and the assistant felt comfortable around the actor, he said, he was asked to drive Spacey about 30 minutes to the "House of Cards" set.

CNN reports:

The production assistant says that when he and Spacey were just minutes away from the set and while the car was moving, Spacey, who was driving, put his hands down the production assistant's pants. The production assistant told CNN that the touching was nonconsensual.

"I was in a state of shock," he said. "He was a man in a very powerful position on the show and I was someone very low on the totem pole and on the food chain there."

The allegations come just days after BuzzFeed published an account by actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance toward him in 1986. Rapp was 14 at the time and Spacey was 26.

In a response posted to his Twitter account just hours later, Spacey didn't deny the incident took place but said he could not remember it happening, citing the passage of time. He apologized to Rapp for "what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."

Spacey also used his response to make his first public declaration that he is gay, which prompted a wave of fury from those accusing him of using the news as a public relations sleight of hand.

Spacey's representative has since said the actor is seeking "evaluation and treatment" for his behavior, as several other sexual misconduct allegations against him have emerged, including an account by filmmaker Tony Montana that Spacey groped him at a bar.

Netflix has suspended production on the final season of "House of Cards" "until further notice." In a statement to CNN on Thursday regarding employee comments about Spacey, the company said it would work with MRC, the production company behind the show, to "maintain a safe and respectful working environment."

"We will continue to work with MRC during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the production, and have nothing further to share at this time," Netflix said.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.