Actor Kevin Spacey says he has now decided to "live as a gay man" after being accused of sexual misconduct by actor Anthony Rapp, who has accused Spacey of traumatising him when he was 14-year-old.

In an interview on Sunday to media company Buzzfeed, Rapp said he was left traumatised after Spacey lay on top of him on an evening at Spacey's Manhanttan apartment 31 years ago.

On Monday, Spacey, who has been private about his personal life and sexuality in the past, apologised to Rapp on Twitter and declared that he now wants to live his life as gay, reports theguardian.com.

https://twitter.com/KevinSpacey/status/924848412842971136

Spacey tweeted: "I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.

"As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly," he added.