Kevin Spacey says his sexual assault accuser was an intimate pal who betrayed him

Kevin Spacey took a dramatic pause in his testimony Thursday and appeared to almost choke up as he recalled the “intimate” and “somewhat sexual” friendship he shared with a man now accusing the actor of violently groping him, saying he was “crushed” when he learned of the allegations.

“I never thought that [the man] I knew would ... 20 years later stab me in the back,” Spacey testified in his own defense in his sexual assault trial in what could be the most consequential speaking part of his life.

Spacey was earnest — humble at times and self-deprecating at others — as he breezed over his career and then fast-forwarded to the early 2000s when he was in London working at the Old Vic Theatre.

Four men have accused the two-time Oscar winner of sexually assaulting them between 2001 and 2013, describing disturbing encounters that escalated from unwanted touching to aggressive crotch grabbing. One man who called Spacey a “vile sexual predator” said he passed out or fell asleep at the actor’s London flat and woke up to find the actor sexually assaulting him.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew has called Spacey a “sexual bully” who "delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable.

Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts.

The American actor was one of the biggest stars of the silver and small screens when sexual misconduct accusations brought his career to a halt. If convicted, he could face a prison term that would doom his hopes of a comeback.

Spacey, who owns homes in London and the United States, is free on unconditional bail.