1971-10-26

ANTHONY RAPP, American singer and actor, born; an American film and stage actor best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the same role in the film version. He also performed the role of Charlie Brown in the 1999 Broadway revival of You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown. Rapp, a self-identified “queer,” is an advocate in show business for LGBT rights. He was born in Chicago, where he attended high school at Joliet West High School in Joliet and theater camp at the prestigious Michigan Interlochen Arts Academy. Rapp’s brother is playwright, novelist, and filmmaker Adam Rapp.

In late October 2017, Rapp alleged in an interview with BuzzFeed that actor Kevin Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. At the time, Rapp and Spacey were both appearing in Broadway shows – Rapp in Precious Sons, Spacey in Long Day’s Journey into Night – and Spacey invited Rapp to a party at his home. Rapp stated that at the end of the evening, an apparently drunk Spacey “picked [him] up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold”, placed him on the bed, and held him down while tightening his grip on him. “He was trying to seduce me”, Rapp said. “I don’t know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.” Rapp added that he had once allegedly met with a lawyer to discuss possible legal action, but was told there was no case worth pursuing. He had previously discussed the incident in a 2001 interview with The Advocate, but Spacey’s name was redacted from publication to avoid legal disputes and public outing. Rapp was inspired to come forward in 2017 after the effects of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations with the support of his family, boyfriend, and representatives.

In response, Spacey posted on Twitter that he did not remember the encounter, but said that he was “beyond horrified to hear his story” and offered Rapp the “sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior”. After the Buzzfeed article, at least 14 other people came forward to accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct, ultimately leading to him losing his starring role on House of Cards and involvement in other projects. Rapp faced harassment and criticism for the accusation. In September 2020, Rapp sued Spacey for sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress under the Child Victims Act, which extended New York’s statute of limitations for civil suits related to child sexual abuse. Rapp sought $40 million in damages. Joining Rapp in the suit against Spacey was a man who requested to remain anonymous who accused Spacey of sexually abusing him in 1983, when he was 14 and Spacey was 23. On October 20, 2022, a jury found that Spacey did not sexually abuse Rapp.