WASHINGTON — A former male model has accused actor George Takei of sexually assaulting him in 1981, adding to the growing list of Hollywood personalities caught up by the growing wave of scandal.
On Friday, the Hollywood Reporter published an interview with Scott R. Brunton, who says he was groped by the former ‘‘Star Trek’’ actor when Brunton was 23 and Takei was in his 40s.
According to the article, Takei tried to remove Brunton’s underwear after Brunton passed out from drinking at Takei’s condo. In a Facebook post, Takei denied the charge.
Actor Richard Dreyfuss, 70, was also accused Friday of inappropriate sexual conduct. According to Vulture, the online entertainment magazine, the former ‘‘Jaws’’ star harassed writer Jessica Teich over a two-year period, while she was working on a show he was producing, and once exposed himself to her.
Dreyfuss’s agent, Barry McPherson, denied the actor ever exposed himself to Teich, but said Dreyfuss acknowledged to Vulture that there were other encounters he now realizes were inappropriate, the Associated Press reported.
Dreyfuss said he thought he and Teich were involved in a playful ‘‘consensual seduction ritual.’’
Other allegations of impropriety have come to light over the past days.
Former ‘‘ER’’ actor Anthony Edwards wrote a post on Medium contending that he had been molested by producer Gary Goddard, who acted as a mentor and personal manager to Edwards during the actor’s early career.
Edwards also wrote that he once confronted Goddard years later, in an airport, and that Goddard ‘‘swore to his remorse.’’ Goddard’s representative has denied the charge.
Brunton and Teich both said they were inspired to come forward after reading statements of support made by Takei and Dreyfuss after sexual assault claims by others.
Dreyfuss’s son, actor Harry Dreyfuss, said Kevin Spacey groped him when he was 18, prompting his father to post on Twitter that he was ‘‘so incredibly proud’’ of his son.
‘‘When I read about his support for his son, which I would never question, I remember thinking, ‘But wait a minute, this guy harassed me for months,’ ’’ Teich told Vulture. ‘‘He was in a position of so much power over me, and I didn’t feel I could tell anyone about it. It just seemed so hypocritical.’’
Takei, now 80, is an LGBTQ icon who has been outspoken in his condemnation of sexual assault.
After actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of assault — prompting Spacey to come out as gay — Takei told the Hollywood Reporter that ‘‘men who improperly harass or assault do not do so because they are gay or straight — that is a deflection. They do so because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.’’
Brunton says he was vulnerable after a romantic breakup, and that Takei comforted him one night over the course of dinner, theater, and drinks at Takei’s home. After Brunton passed out, he says, he came to, only to find ‘‘my pants down around my ankles and [that Takei] was groping my crotch and trying to get my underwear off.’’
Brunton says he told Takei ‘‘No, I don’t want to do this,’’ and pushed him off, to which Takei responded, ‘‘OK, fine.’’ Brunton says he’s seeking an apology from Takei.
Takei’s Facebook post said, ‘‘The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do. But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment.
‘‘Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago,’’ Takei wrote.
‘‘But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful.’’
