In 2017, Spacey faced severalallegations of sexual misconduct. In 2018 and 2019, Spacey faced multiple criminal investigations; however, in each case Spacey was either not charged or the charges against him were dropped.[3][4][5] He has denied the accusations and was found not liable in a 2022 lawsuit in New York. In a separate case in London, he was acquitted by a jury of sexual assault charges in 2023.[6][7]
Early life, family and education
Kevin Spacey Fowler was born inSouth Orange, New Jersey, to Kathleen Ann (née Knutson), a secretary, and Thomas Geoffrey Fowler, atechnical writer and data consultant.[8][9] His family relocated toSouthern California when he was four years old.[10] Spacey has a sister and an older brother, Randy Fowler, from whom Spacey isestranged.[11][12][13] His brother has stated that their father, whom he described as a racist "Nazi supporter", wassexually andphysically abusive, and that Spacey shut down emotionally and became "very sly and smart" to avoid beatings.[14] Spacey first addressed the matter in October 2022, saying that his father was "awhite supremacist and aneo-Nazi" who would call him "anF-word that is very derogatory to thegay community".[15][16] He stated that, as a result, he became extremely private about his personal life and did notcome out as gay earlier in his life.[15] Spacey had previously described his father as "a very normal, middle-class man".[17]
Spacey's prominence as a stage actor began in 1986, when he was cast oppositeJack Lemmon,Peter Gallagher, andBethel Leslie, as Jamie, the eldest Tyrone son, inJonathan Miller's lauded production ofEugene O'Neill'sLong Day's Journey into Night. Lemmon in particular would become a mentor to Spacey[28] and was invited, along with Spacey's high school drama teacher, to be present when Spacey received his star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 1999.[29] In 1986, Spacey made his first film appearance inMike Nichols'sHeartburn starringMeryl Streep andJack Nicholson. Spacey plays a small role credited as a subway thief. In 1988, Spacey also briefly appeared in another Nichols film,Working Girl, as businessman Bob Speck. Some of Spacey's other early roles include a widowed millionaire onL.A. Law; the television miniseriesThe Murder of Mary Phagan (1988), opposite Lemmon; and the comedySee No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989). In 1987, Spacey made his first major television appearance in the second-season premiere ofCrime Story, playing aKennedy-esque American senator. That same year he appeared in spy thriller seriesThe Equalizer as Detective Sergeant Cole in the episode "Solo". He earned a fan base after playing themanic depressive arms dealer Mel Profitt on the television seriesWiseguy (1988).[30]
Spacey played an egomaniacaldistrict attorney inA Time to Kill (1996) and foundedTrigger Street Productions in 1997 with the purpose of producing and developing entertainment across various media. Spacey made his directorial debut with the filmAlbino Alligator (1996). The film was abox-office bomb, grossing$339,379 with a budget of$6 million, but critics praised Spacey's direction. He starred in theCurtis Hanson directedneo-noir crime filmL.A. Confidential (1997) acting alongsideRussell Crowe,Guy Pearce, andKim Basinger. Spacey played the Detective Sergeant Jack Vincennes, an officer and technical advisor for a fictional TV police drama series. The ensemble cast received praise with Jack Matthews ofNewsday citing Spacey as the highlight writing, "Best of all are Spacey striking an impossible balance of smarminess and charm".[35] The role landed Spacey a nomination for theBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The following year he voiced the intimidating grasshopper, Hopper in the animatedPixar filmA Bug's Life (1998).[27] Throughout his career, Spacey has been well known for playing villains; he remarked in 2013: "I think people just like me evil for some reason. They want me to be a son of a bitch."[36] Spacey hostedSaturday Night Live twice: first in 1997 with musical guestBeck and special guestsMichael Palin andJohn Cleese fromMonty Python's Flying Circus and again in May 2006 with musical guestNelly Furtado.[37][self-published source?]
In 1999, Spacey acted alongsideAnnette Bening inSam Mendes'sAmerican Beauty. In the film he played the role of Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father and advertising executive who becomes attracted to his teenage daughter's best friend. The film and its performance received widespread acclaim, particularly Spacey with criticRoger Ebert declaring, "Spacey, an actor who embodies intelligence in his eyes and voice, is the right choice for Lester Burnham. He does reckless and foolish things in this movie, but he doesn't deceive himself; he knows he's running wild--and chooses to, burning up the future years of an empty lifetime for a few flashes of freedom".[38] For this role, Spacey won his secondOscar, this time forBest Actor in a Leading Role. In his acceptance speech he dedicated his Oscar toJack Lemmon, praising him as an influence, mentor, and father figure. He also stated, "[Lemmon's] performance inThe Apartment stands as one of the finest we've ever had".[39][40] For his role he also received aBAFTA Award andScreen Actors Guild Award as well as a nomination for aGolden Globe Award. That same year, he was honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[41] Also in 1999, Spacey won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor and earned another Tony Award nomination in 1999 forThe Iceman Cometh.[42]
2000–2009: Established actor and work at the Old Vic
Spacey played a physically and emotionally scarred grade school teacher inPay It Forward (2000), a patient in a mental institution who may or may not be analien inK-Pax (2001), and singerBobby Darin inBeyond the Sea (2004). The latter was a lifelong dream project for Spacey, who took on co-writing, directing, co-producing and starring duties in the biography/musical about Darin's life, career and relationship with actressSandra Dee. Facing little interest for backing in the U.S., Spacey went to the United Kingdom and Germany for funding. Almost all of the film was made in Berlin.[28] Spacey provided his own vocals on the film's soundtrack and appeared in several tribute concerts around the time of its release. Spacey received mostly positive reviews for his singing, as well as aGolden Globe nomination for his performance. However, reviewers debated the age disparity between Spacey and Darin, noting that Spacey was too old to convincingly portray Darin, particularly during the early stages of the singer's life depicted in the film.[43]
In February 2003, Spacey announced that he was to become the artistic director of theOld Vic, one of London's oldest theatres.[44] Appearing at a press conference withJudi Dench andElton John, Spacey promised both to appear on stage and to bring in big-name talent.[45] He undertook to remain in the post for a full ten years. The Old Vic Theatre Company staged shows eight months out of the year. Spacey's first season started in September 2004, opening with the British premiere of the playCloaca byMaria Goos, directed by Spacey, which opened to mixed reviews.[46] In the 2005 season, Spacey made his UK Shakespearean debut, to good notices, in thetitle role ofRichard II, directed byTrevor Nunn.[46]
In 2006, Spacey playedLex Luthor in theBryan Singersuperhero filmSuperman Returns starringBrandon Routh. He was to return for its 2009 sequel, but the series was instead rebooted with the 2013 filmMan of Steel.[47] Spacey also appeared inEdison, which received adirect-to-video release in 2006.[48] The film was released in theaters inNetherlands on March 12, 2006. In mid-2006, Spacey was working at the Old Vic; at that point in his career, he said, he was "trying to do things now that are much bigger and outside [myself]".[49] Spacey performed in productions ofNational Anthems by Dennis McIntyre, andThe Philadelphia Story byPhilip Barry, in which he played C.K. Dexter Haven, theCary Grant role in thefilm version. Critics applauded Spacey for taking on the management of a theatre, but noted that while his acting was impressive, his skills and judgment as a producer/manager had yet to develop.[50] In the 2006 season, Spacey suffered a major setback with a production ofArthur Miller'sResurrection Blues, directed byRobert Altman.[51] Despite an all-star cast (includingMatthew Modine and futureHouse of Cards co-starNeve Campbell) and the pedigree of Miller's script, Spacey's decision to lure Altman to the stage proved disastrous: after a fraught rehearsal period, the play opened to a critical panning, and closed after only a few weeks.[49] Later in the year, Spacey starred inEugene O'Neill'sA Moon for the Misbegotten, along withColm Meaney andEve Best. The play received excellent reviews for Spacey and Best, and was transferred to Broadway in 2007. For the spring part of the 2007–08 season,Jeff Goldblum andLaura Michelle Kelly joined Spacey as the three characters inDavid Mamet's 1988 playSpeed-the-Plow.[52]
In January 2016 it was announced thatRelativity Media, which was just emerging fromChapter 11 bankruptcy,[71] had acquired Trigger Street Productions and that Spacey would become chairman ofRelativity Studios, while Dana Brunetti would become the studio's president.[72] Spacey called the move "an incredible opportunity to make great entertainment" and said he considered it the "next evolution in my career".[73] However, when the paperwork for the studio was filed for the court, it emerged that Spacey had opted out of assuming the chairmanship of the studios,[74] and by the end of 2016 Brunetti had also left Relativity, while both remained executive producers onHouse of Cards andManifesto.[75]
2017–present: Career controversy and comeback attempts
In March 2017, it was announced that Spacey would portrayJ. Paul Getty inRidley Scott'sAll the Money in the World.[80] He shot his role in the film in ten days over the summer of 2017. But because of thesexual assault allegations against Spacey, it was announced on November 8, 2017, that all of his footage would be excised,[81] and thatChristopher Plummer would replace him inreshoots.[82][83] Despite the very tight schedule,TriStar Pictures completed the new version of the film in time for a December 25 release.[84][85] Spacey appeared in the filmBillionaire Boys Club, which had alimited release on August 17, 2018.[86][87][88]Vertical Entertainment stated that it would take no action to remove Spacey from the film, as it had been completed in late 2016, before the allegations made in October 2017.[89] They released a statement which read in part, "We don't condone sexual harassment on any level and we fully support victims of it. At the same time, this is neither an easy nor insensitive decision to release this film in theatres, but we believe in giving the cast, as well as hundreds of crew members who worked hard on the film, the chance to see their final product reach audiences."[90] Following the allegations leveled against him, Spacey maintained a lower profile and his career stalled.[91][92]
In May 2021, it was announced that he had been cast in a supporting role as a police detective in the crime drama filmThe Man Who Drew God, directed by and starringFranco Nero, which is about a blind artist who is wrongly accused of sexually abusing a child.[93][94] The film reunited Spacey withFaye Dunaway, whom he directed inAlbino Alligator. In August 2021, Spacey was reportedly filming in California for a small production,Peter Five Eight,[95][96] in which he plays a "charismatic" serial killer.[97]
On November 3, 2022,Variety reported that Spacey was set to speak at theNational Museum of Cinema and was going to receive a lifetime achievement award on January 16, 2023, despite the allegations against him.[98] On November 28, 2022, after winning a sexual battery lawsuit against him filed byAnthony Rapp, Spacey was cast in the British indie thrillerControl. Its director, Gene Fallaize, dismissed concerns about working with Spacey.[99] In 2022, Spacey was cast as the late Croatian leaderFranjo Tuđman in the political dramaOnce Upon a Time in Croatia, directed byJakov Sedlar.[100] In 2024, notable industry members such as actorsSharon Stone,Liam Neeson,F. Murray Abraham, andStephen Fry, film directorPaul Schrader and theatre directorTrevor Nunn vocally supported Spacey's attempts to return to acting.[101][102][103]
The filmPeter Five Eight, released in 2024, marks Spacey's return to a major role after his legal troubles.[104] In the same year, he starredThe Contract, an Italian production, withEric Roberts.[105]
Spacey briefly dated American actressApril Winchell after she graduated high school in the early 1980s.[109][110] An article inThe Sunday Times Magazine in 1999 stated that Spacey's "love affair with acting, and the absence of a visible partner in the life of an attractive 40-year-old, has resulted inEsquire magazine asserting two years ago that he must be gay".[111] Spacey responded to the rumors by tellingPlayboy and other interviewers that he was not gay,[112] and by telling Lesley White ofThe Sunday Times:
I chose for a long time not to answer these questions because of the manner in which they were asked, and because I was never talking to someone I trusted, so why should I? Recently I chose to participate because it's a little hard on the people I love.[111]
In 1999, reports suggested Spacey was dating ascript supervisor named Dianne Dreyer, with their relationship possibly dating back as far as 1992.[113][114][115] In 2000, Spacey brought Dreyer to theAcademy Awards;[113] during the acceptance speech for his Best Actor award, Spacey said, "Dianne, thank you for teaching me about caring about the right things, and I love you."[116] In 2007,Gotham magazine quoted Spacey saying:
I've never believed in pimping my personal life out for publicity. Although I might be interested in doing it, I will never do it. People can gossip all they want; they can speculate all they want. I just happen to believe that there's a separation between the public life and the private life. Everybody has the right to a private life no matter what their professions are.[111]
In 2017, Spaceycame out as gay in a statement denying a sexual misconduct allegation.[117][118][119]
Spacey has undertaken activism in the domain ofHIV/AIDS. In 2002, he and fellow actorChris Tucker accompanied Bill Clinton on a trip throughout several African countries to promote AIDS awareness on the continent.[124] The trip gained renewed attention in 2019 amidst thesex trafficking charges againstJeffrey Epstein, whose plane was used.[125] Spacey also participated in several fundraisers for HIV/AIDS healthcare, includingamfAR Cinema Against AIDS in 2016[126] and the 25th AnnualElton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party in 2017.[127]
Spacey met Venezuelan presidentHugo Chávez in September 2007 but never spoke to the press about their encounter. During the trip, he visited the Venezuelan film studioVilla del Cine.[128] In March 2011, following Belarusian presidentAlexander Lukashenko's crackdown on theBelarusian democracy movement, Spacey joinedJude Law in a street protest in London against Lukashenko's regime.[129]
In October 2008, Spacey started the Kevin Spacey Foundation in the UK to encourage youth involvement in the arts.[130] Headquartered inEngland and Wales, its purpose was to provide grants to individuals and organizations to help young people study the arts, particularly theatre.[131] The charity shut down in February 2018 following sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey.[132]
In September 2006, Spacey said that he intended to take upBritish citizenship when it is offered to him.[133] When asked about the UK's2016 European Union membership referendum, Spacey replied, "I appreciate you asking me the question, but I am not a British citizen, I am a resident of Great Britain. And I have never in my twelve years ever gotten involved in politics in Great Britain. I think it's inappropriate for me as a, really as a guest, in Great Britain, so I'll leave that to the British people."[134]
In 2017, Spacey faced several allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment. On October 29, 2017, actorAnthony Rapp was the first to accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct.[138] In the following weeks, other accusers came forward, including actor Roberto Cavazos, filmmakerTony Montana,Richard Dreyfuss's son Harry, and at least eight people who worked onHouse of Cards.[139][140][141]
In the wake of these claims, Netflix cut ties with Spacey, shelving his biopic ofGore Vidal and removing him from the last season ofHouse of Cards. His completed role asJ. Paul Getty inRidley Scott's filmAll the Money in the World (2017) was reshot withChristopher Plummer.[142][143] Spacey has denied the accusations and was found not liable in a 2022 civil lawsuit filed by Rapp in New York.[144] In a separate criminal case in London, he was acquitted by a jury ofsexual assault charges in 2023.[145]
^ab"Fowler, Kevin Spacey".Who's who in the world, 1991–1992. Vol. 10. Wilmette, Illinois: Marquis Who's Who. 1990. p. 348.ISBN978-0-8379-1110-6.Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. RetrievedMarch 13, 2023.
^abc"Kevin Spacey".ABC (Interview: video). Enough rope. Interviewed by Andrew Denton. July 10, 2006. Archived fromthe original on April 30, 2008. RetrievedJune 2, 2008.
^"The Usual Suspects".Variety. January 27, 1995.Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. RetrievedJanuary 20, 2024.
^abLipton, James (host) (July 2, 2000)."Kevin Spacey".Inside the Actors Studio. Season 6. Episode 10. Bravo. Archived fromthe original on November 4, 2019.
^One shot with Spacey was retained because of time and money constraints, given the film's close deadline. It features the character of J. Paul Getty departing from a train in a wide shot and Spacey's face is not visible.
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