Denzel Washington reflected on the 2000 awards season — and noted that some people in Hollywood heard rumors about Kevin Spacey years before he was publicly accused of sexual misconduct — in a new essay for 'Esquire.

Kevin Spacey has had his share of ugly headlines across the past couple of years, but Denzel Washington recently said rumors swirled about him a long time before those reports popped up. In fact, Washington said, there was talk decades before the “House of Cards” actor, 65, was accused of sexual assault and harassment.

Adding details about the scandalous sexual conduct that led to disgrace and a serious sexual assault charge against actor Kevin Spacey, a new account noted that the guild speculate