Guy Pearce makes startling Kevin Spacey revelation

Last year Spacey hit the headlines as one of the most public figures facing allegations of sexual misconduct as part of the Me Too movement. Photo / AP

Aussie actor Guy Pearce has stunned TV presenter Andrew Denton on this week's episode of Australia's channel Seven chat show Interview, offering a disturbing anecdote about his time working with Kevin Spacey.

Pearce, 50, starred alongside Spacey in the 1997 Hollywood hit L.A. Confidential.

Last year Spacey hit the headlines as one of the most public figures facing allegations of sexual misconduct as part of the Me Too movement.

L-R: James Cromwell, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Kevin Spacey starred in the 1997 film L.A. Confidential. Photo / Getty Images

Actor Anthony Rapp was the first of several men to publicly accuse Spacey, alleging that the star made sexual advances toward him when he was 14 and Spacey was 26.

Asked about his own experiences working with the embattled actor over two decades ago, Pearce chooses his words carefully.

"Yeah … yeah. Tough one to talk about at the moment. Amazing actor; incredible actor. Mmm. Slightly difficult time with Kevin, yeah," Pearce says, before uttering four words that make the studio audience gasp: "He's a handsy guy."

Even Denton seems momentarily lost for words by this — but Pearce continues.

"Thankfully I was 29, and not 14," he says, prompting more audience gasps.

Denton moves the conversation along, asking about Pearce's old friend and occasional co-star Kylie Minogue.

"Divine. Not as handsy as I'd like her to be," Pearce quips.

"I sort of had a crush on her [during Neighbours], I have more of a crush on her now."

Elsewhere in Pearce and Denton's very frank half-hour chat, the actor and singer opens up about the end of his 18-year marriage to childhood sweetheart Kate Mestitz in 2015, and the new love he's found with Dutch actor and mother to his young son Monte, Carice van Houten.