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Actor Guy Pearce regrets going public with allegations that Kevin Spacey was “handsy” during filming of 1997’s L.A. Confidential, and has released a statement to Australian press expressing his second thoughts.

“I very much understand that it’s too sensitive a topic to be brushed off,” Pearce said in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald. “I addressed and handled the situation when it took place, hence my regret at making it public now.”

Last week, the Australian TV news show Interview, hosted by Andrew Denton, released a sneak peek of the July 3 episode in which Pearce, asked by Denton about working with Spacey on the ’97 film, told the interviewer: “Tough one to talk about at the moment. Amazing actor. Incredible actor. Slightly difficult time with Kevin, yeah. He’s a handsy guy. Thankfully I was 29, and not 14.”

After the comments made global headlines, Pearce, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, told Fairfax Media (owner of the Herald) that he “wished to clarify his comments regarding Spacey and that while he was not sexually assaulted, he was made to feel uncomfortable.”

His statement that he “addressed and handled the situation when it took place” apparently refers to his interactions with Spacey while shooting the film.

Pearce’s “not 14” comment to Denton was an obvious reference to actor Anthony Rapp, who has said he was assaulted by a-26-year-old Spacey when Rapp was 14. Spacey would have been around 37 or 38 to Pearce’s 29 while shooting the 1997 L.A. Confidential.

Spacey was fired from Netflix’s House of Cards following Rapp’s allegations, and has been absent from screens since. He has a small part in Vertical Entertainment’s upcoming Billionaire Boys Club, filmed prior to the actor’s downfall.