At the 70th Academy Awards, L.A. Confidential was a frontrunner in a fiercely competitive Best Picture race against Titanic and Good Will Hunting. While the film was a critical triumph, Guy Pearce—then a rising Australian star—was privately struggling with his experience working alongside Kevin Spacey.
During an appearance on Awards Chatter, Pearce reflected on his past discomfort working with Spacey. Although he initially downplayed the situation during a 2017 interview—describing Spacey as “very handsy”—he has since admitted that he felt targeted and intimidated during filming:
“I did that for five months, and really, I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man. He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does—really impressive, etc. He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question.”
At the time, Spacey was already an Oscar and Tony Award-winning actor, operating in an industry where power imbalances and silence were the norm. The revelations about Spacey that surfaced during the #MeToo movement in 2017 forced Pearce to re-examine his own experiences, leading to a more candid account today.
Spacey has continuously denied any wrongdoing, stating that he has never committed any unlawful acts. However, the allegations have led to significant professional and financial consequences. A lawsuit resulted in him being ordered to pay $31 million for breaching a production company’s sexual assault policy. He recently admitted in an interview with Piers Morgan that the backlash cost him both his career and home.
Guy Pearce’s career comes full circle with The Brutalist
Now, Pearce is experiencing a career resurgence, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Brutalist. His character—an influential post-war baron—assaults Adrien Brody’s character, mirroring the kind of power and manipulation Pearce once felt firsthand in Hollywood.
One of the film’s most pivotal moments is when Pearce’s character is finally confronted for his actions—an emotional scene that carries real-world weight given Pearce’s past.
With The Brutalist expanding in theaters nationwide, it is already being hailed as one of the most defining films of the decade. Given the film’s haunting relevance, it wouldn’t be surprising if Pearce walks away with his first Oscar come award night.