Taron Egertonis opening up about how his disgraced former costarKevin Spaceywas an “audacious flirt.”
The 29-year-old Welsh actor spoke toThe Telegraphin an article published on Saturday about Spacey, 59, who he worked with on this year’sBillionaire Boys Club.
The film centers on a group of wealthy boys during the early 1980s who establish a “get-rich-quick” scam that turns deadly. It was made for $15 million but was a box office flop raking in $3 million worldwide. The filmearned a mere $126 on its opening dayin the U.S.
Egerton says the film “didn’t quite come together in the way it should have. Which is really disappointing and horrible for all the talented people who worked on that film.”
“And then there was Kevin Spacey’s involvement,” he continued. “He was never inappropriate with me. There’s a fine line, though, isn’t there, between someone being an audacious flirt and being predatory? I thought he was the former.”
PEOPLE is out to Spacey’s attorney for comment.
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Egerton added, “But it’s sad that his professional demise threw such a shadow over our film.”
When it came to Spacey’s behavior on the set, Egerton said, “On the surface level, he’s flirty. He is not my first experience of a flirty older bloke.”
Last October, actor Anthony Rapp, 47, accused the formerHouse of Cardsactor ofmaking inappropriate sexual advanceswhen Rapp was just 14.
RELATED VIDEO: Robin Wright on Kevin Spacey’s Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘We Never Socialized Outside of Work’
In response to Rapp’s accusations, Spacey issued a statement on Twitter addressing the allegations and coming out as gay.
“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I’m beyond horrified to hear his story,” he said. “I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”
In July,three more people reportedly came forward, accusing Spacey of sexual assault in England, and in August,the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office received a new sexual assaultcase involving the Oscar winner, reps from the office confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
An unidentified man sued the actor for alleged sexual battery in September. Spacey’s rep did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In November 2017, Spaceyentered a treatment facility.He has not been out in public since and waswritten off the final season ofHouse of Cards.
source: people.com
