Anthony Rapp testifies he 'could not escape' memory of incident with Kevin Spacey

CNN  — 

Anthony Rapp testified Tuesday successful a civilian proceedings against Kevin Spacey astir the affectional distress helium says the histrion has caused him.

“Every clip I saw him connected the surface I was reminded, I could not flight that memory,” Rapp testified.

Rapp sued Spacey successful 2020 for assault, artillery and intentional infliction of affectional distress. Rapp claims that successful 1986, Spacey, past 26, invited Rapp, past 14, to his Manhattan location wherever helium picked Rapp up, laid him down connected his bed, grabbed his buttocks and pressed his groin into Rapp’s assemblage without his consent.

Spacey has said helium does “not retrieve the encounter.”

Tuesday was Rapp’s 2nd time of testimony.

Rapp, an histrion good known for his enactment connected “Star Trek: Discovery,” said that earlier helium first spoke publically astir the alleged incident to Buzzfeed successful 2017, helium told respective radical what had happened, opening with 1 of his closest friends from schoolhouse named Christopher Hart, who is expected to attest successful the trial.

“I wanted to archer idiosyncratic what had happened,” Rapp testified.

Throughout his grounds Tuesday morning, Rapp recalled times erstwhile helium had seen Spacey, either successful films, during grant ceremonies, oregon successful person. His archetypal clip seeing Spacey aft the incidental was during his little quality successful the 1988 movie “Working Girl.”

“It was arsenic if idiosyncratic had poked maine with a cattle prod,” Rapp testified of seeing Spacey connected screen.

Rapp said that helium felt a unreserved of adrenaline and his palms would sweat erstwhile helium saw Spacey. He testified that helium continued to ticker grant shows and movies knowing that Spacey would look successful them due to the fact that helium “felt it was my occupation to spot them” arsenic an actor.

Rapp said helium archetypal mentioned the incidental with Spacey to his therapist, who helium started seeing aft his parent died.

“That was thing that had ne'er occurred to maine arsenic thing (to) dainty successful therapy,” Rapp said.

That aforesaid month, Rapp reached retired to a newsman who worked for BuzzFeed astatine the clip named Adam Vary, who Rapp considered a friend, and shared his communicative of the alleged incidental with Spacey, astatine archetypal disconnected the record. Vary past gained his support to people the communicative with Rapp’s sanction connected the record. Rapp testified that helium did not spot a draught of the nonfiction and that helium was acrophobic astir nationalist backlash for speaking out.

“That felt harmless to maine to stock it with him,” Rapp testified.

Vary is expected to beryllium called arsenic a witnesser by Spacey’s ineligible team.

Rapp said that having to look Spacey for the lawsuit, including coming face-to-face with Spacey connected Zoom hearings and successful court, has caused him distress and occupation sleeping.

“But possibly by doing so, I could assistance support others,” Rapp testified.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan asked a tribunal newsman to onslaught that enactment from the record.

Spacey’s attorneys person accused Rapp of having “borrowed” details from a Broadway play helium was successful that aforesaid twelvemonth the alleged incidental took place. In the play, “Precious Sons,” histrion Ed Harris carried Rapp, past aboriginal laid connected apical of him portion Rapp’s quality was asleep.

Rapp testified that helium has ne'er confused what happened successful the play with his allegations against Spacey.

Spacey’s attorneys volition transverse analyse Rapp next.