An emotional and reflective Guy Pearce got choked up during a new interview while recalling unpleasant experiences working with Kevin Spacey on Curtis Hanson’s classic 1997 film L.A. Confidential, and the “wake-up call” that left him sobbing in London more than 20 years later when he realized the impact those encounters had on him.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter‘s executive awards editor Scott Feinberg on a new episode of his Awards Chatter podcast, Pearce, who is Oscar-nominated for his critically acclaimed turn in Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, opens up for the first time at length about Spacey and the tidal wave of sexual misconduct allegations that sidelined the House of Cards actor’s career.

He talked about it only briefly when he called Spacey “a handsy guy” to Australian talk show host Andrew Denton in 2018, though he quickly clarified his comments. “I very much understand that it’s...