Harry Dreyfuss alleges Kevin Spacey groped him as a teenager while his father was in the room

'It just never occurred to me that Kevin would be interested in me in the first place. Besides, I thought, Surely he can’t be coming on to me like this right in front of my dad'

Actor Harry Dreyfuss has alleged that Kevin Spacey groped him when he was 18.

In an article for Buzzfeed News, Dreyfuss dates the alleged incident to 2008 when Spacey was directing his father, Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss, in Complicit at the Old Vic in London. Dreyfuss had come to visit his father over Christmas and the three were alone in Spacey's apartment rehearsing lines when he alleges the actor put his hand on his thigh.

"It just never occurred to me that Kevin would be interested in me in the first place," Dreyfuss wrote. "He was an adult man, a hero of mine, my dad’s boss, none of which were categories on my radar for sexual interactions. Besides, I thought, Surely he can’t be coming on to me like this right in front of my dad."

Even when he tried to move to a different seat multiple times, Dreyfuss alleges Spacey followed him, continuing to fondle his thigh. He says his father did not see what occurred and he did not alert him as, "I didn’t want to start a feud between them. I didn’t want the play to be threatened. This job really mattered to my dad, and Kevin was his boss."

Dreyfuss then claims that Spacey grabbed his crotch, and continued to do so even when Dreyfuss shook his head as an attempt to "warn him without alerting my dad, who still had his eyes glued to the page."

He says he initially responded by repeating the incident as a joke, so he could have ownership over the story, but soon realised many in the theatre world shared similar incidents.

"It wasn’t until this year, when so many people have bravely come out with their stories, and the demand for a better world has gotten such broad support, that I saw my own story has value," he wrote. "What I see now is that when it comes to sexual abuse, there is no such thing as a 'minor' assault. And if telling this story will help others speak up, then it is worth it."

"A lot of people have warned me this could hurt my career because it will make me look like I’m 'jumping on the bandwagon.' But as long as the bandwagon is outing a sexual predator…then I’m good with that," he added.

Buzzfeed broke the first accusation from actor Anthony Rapp. Since then, multiple men have come forward with accusations of sexual harassment and assault, including on the set of Spacey's Netflix show House of Cards. Production for the show has been suspended and Netflix has announced it has cut all ties with the actor.

Representatives for Spacey have said: "Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment. No other information is available at this time."

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