Hollywood’s widening sexual harassment crisis brought forth a second actor’s allegation against Kevin Spacey on Tuesday. Mexican actor Robert Cavazos wrote on his Facebook page that he encountered Spacey at the bar of London’s Old Vic Theatre, where Spacey was artistic director, and the actor tried to fondle him against his will.
“It was more common for this guy, when he was in the bar of his theatre, grabbing whoever caught his attention,” Cavazos wrote. “I didn’t stand for it, but I know some people who were afraid to stop it.”
Cavazos declined an interview request. There was no immediate reply to a request for comment from representatives for Spacey, who was artistic director from 2004 to 2015.
In a statement on Tuesday, the theatre expressed “deep dismay” at the allegations and said “inappropriate behaviour by anyone working at The Old Vic is completely unacceptable.”
On Monday, Netflix said it would end House of Cards after its upcoming sixth and final season, although the streaming network said the decision was made before the BuzzFeed News report on Spacey last weekend. The network has not commented on plans for a Gore Vidal biopic starring Spacey that is currently in production.
The company announced Tuesday it was halting production on the show, shadowing the fate of the last season.
Netflix’s actions involving House of Cards are rare in an industry that puts commerce first.
How Spacey’s cast mates are reacting to the allegations remains to be seen. Robin Wright, who stars opposite Spacey as his wife, hasn’t commented publicly, but her Twitter feed includes a number of posts backing social issues including female rights and education.
Netflix and House of Cards producer Media Rights Capital had already decided to end the series at the end of next season, its sixth, but on Tuesday they chose to pause the production, which is filmed in Baltimore, “to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew.” Spacey was not scheduled to work that day.
The move comes after actor Anthony Rapp came forward with claims Spacey made inappropriate sexual advances toward him in 1986, when he was 14.
Spacey responded by saying he doesn’t remember the alleged encounter but if he acted the way Rapp alleges, “I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour.” He also spoke publicly for the first time about being gay, which draw backlash from some observers as an attempt at deflection.
The fallout for Spacey also included the loss of an award he was going to get later this month by The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
The group says “it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award,” which is to honour “an individual who crosses cultural boundaries to touch humanity.” Spacey was to get it at a gala on November 20 in New York City. Past recipients include Rhimes, Steven Spielberg, and JJ Abrams.
A release date for the final House of Cards episodes has yet to be announced. Netflix is developing a possible spin-off of the award-winning drama that helped put the streaming service on the TV series map.
