Kevin Spacey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Spacey
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Spacey in 2017
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Kevin Spacey Fowler
July 26, 1959 South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Education | Juilliard School |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Awards | Full list |
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He is famous for his work in movies and on stage. He has won many awards, including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2015, he was given an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire title.
Spacey's first movie roles were in Heartburn (1986) and Working Girl (1988). He became well-known for playing bad guys in movies like Seven and The Usual Suspects in 1995. For The Usual Suspects, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in L.A. Confidential (1997). Spacey won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for the movie American Beauty (1999). Other movies he starred in include Pay It Forward (2000), Beyond the Sea (2004), Superman Returns (2006), and Baby Driver (2017).
In theater, Spacey won a Tony Award in 1991 for his role in Lost in Yonkers. He also won a Laurence Olivier Award in 1999 for The Iceman Cometh. From 2004 to 2015, he was the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London. He hosted the 71st Tony Awards in 2017.
Spacey also played Ron Klain in the HBO movie Recount (2008). From 2013 to 2017, he starred as Frank Underwood in the Netflix TV series House of Cards. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
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Early Life and Education
Kevin Spacey Fowler was born on July 26, 1959, in South Orange, New Jersey. His mother, Kathleen Ann, was a secretary. His father, Thomas Geoffrey Fowler, was a writer and data consultant. When Kevin was four, his family moved to Southern California. He has a sister and an older brother.
Spacey went to Northridge Military Academy. He later attended Canoga Park High School and Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California. He was a top student at Chatsworth and graduated in 1977. In high school, Spacey acted in the play The Sound of Music, playing Captain Georg von Trapp. He started using his middle name, "Spacey," which was his grandmother's maiden name.
Before becoming an actor, Spacey tried to be a comedian for several years. He then studied drama at the Juilliard School in New York City from 1979 to 1981. During this time, he also performed stand-up comedy in bowling alley talent shows.
Acting Career Highlights
Theatre Performances
Starting Out in Theatre (1981–1986)
Spacey's first professional acting job was in a play called Henry VI, Part 1 in 1981. The next year, he appeared on Broadway in Ghosts. He also acted in plays like The Misanthrope and Hurlyburly. In 1986, he performed in Sleuth at a dinner theater in New Jersey.
Broadway Success and Tony Award (1986–1991)
Spacey became well-known in theater in 1986. He acted with Jack Lemmon in Long Day's Journey into Night. Lemmon became a mentor to Spacey. In 1991, Spacey won a Tony Award for his role in Neil Simon's play Lost in Yonkers. His father, who had doubted his acting career, finally believed in him after this success. In 1999, Spacey won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for The Iceman Cometh.
Leading the Old Vic Theatre (2003–2015)
In 2003, Spacey announced he would become the artistic director of The Old Vic, a very old theater in London. He promised to act on stage and bring in famous actors. His first season began in 2004. In 2005, Spacey acted in a Shakespeare play, Richard II, for the first time in the UK.
In 2016, Spacey received an honorary knighthood for his work in theater. This honor, called Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, was given to him by Prince Charles. Spacey also supported the Shakespeare Schools Festival, a charity that helps school children perform Shakespeare.
Spacey enjoyed his time at the Old Vic. He said he wanted to do "much bigger" things. He acted in plays like National Anthems and The Philadelphia Story. Critics praised his acting but noted his skills as a producer were still growing.
In 2006, a play called Resurrection Blues, directed by Robert Altman, did not do well. Later that year, Spacey starred in A Moon for the Misbegotten, which received great reviews and moved to Broadway. In 2009, he directed Complicit. He also played Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind. In 2011, Spacey played Richard III in a play that toured the world. In 2014, he starred in a one-man play as Clarence Darrow to celebrate his ten years at the Old Vic.
Film Roles
Early Movies and Breakthrough (1986–1994)
Spacey's first movie was Heartburn in 1986. He had a small role as a subway thief. In 1988, he appeared in Working Girl. He became known as a character actor. He played a mean office manager in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He also appeared in Iron Will (1994) and the comedy The Ref (1994). Critics liked his role as a bad Hollywood studio boss in Swimming with Sharks (1995).
Becoming a Star and Winning Awards (1995–1999)
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Spacey won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Usual Suspects (1995). In the same year, he was in the thriller Seven. His work in these films earned him awards from film critics. He played a district attorney in A Time to Kill (1996). In 1997, he started Trigger Street Productions to make movies and other entertainment. He also directed his first movie, Albino Alligator (1996). He voiced Hopper in the animated movie A Bug's Life (1998).
Spacey is often known for playing villains. In 1999, he starred with Annette Bening in American Beauty. He played Lester Burnham, a father who becomes interested in his daughter's friend. For this role, Spacey won his second Oscar, this time for Best Actor. He dedicated his award to Jack Lemmon, calling him a mentor. In 1999, he also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Continued Film Work (2000–2009)
Spacey played a teacher in Pay It Forward (2000). He was a patient who might be an alien in K-Pax (2001). He played singer Bobby Darin in Beyond the Sea (2004). Spacey also helped write, direct, and produce Beyond the Sea. He sang all the songs himself for the movie's soundtrack. He received good reviews for his singing and a Golden Globe nomination for his acting.
In 2006, Spacey played Lex Luthor in the superhero movie Superman Returns. He also appeared in Edison (2006). In 2008, Spacey played an MIT lecturer in the movie 21. This film is about students who used math to win at blackjack. In 2010, Spacey starred in a Chinese film called Inseparable.
Independent Films and Comedies (2011–2016)
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In 2011, Spacey starred in the financial thriller Margin Call. The movie is about a Wall Street bank during the start of a financial crisis. Spacey and the cast received an award for their performance. That same year, Spacey was in the comedy Horrible Bosses, which made a lot of money. In 2013, he was an executive producer for Captain Phillips, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
He played President Richard Nixon in the comedy-drama Elvis & Nixon (2016). This movie is about a meeting between Nixon and singer Elvis Presley. He then starred in the comedy Nine Lives (2016), where he played a man trapped in a cat's body.
Recent Film Work (2017–present)
In 2017, Spacey was cast as J. Paul Getty in All the Money in the World. However, due to later events, his scenes were removed, and Christopher Plummer took over the role. Spacey also appeared in the movie Billionaire Boys Club (2018).
In 2021, it was announced that Spacey would be in the crime drama film The Man Who Drew God. He was also reported to be filming for a movie called Peter Five Eight.
Television Appearances
Early TV Roles (1987–1994)
In 1987, Spacey made his first big TV appearance in Crime Story. He also appeared in The Equalizer. He gained fans for his role as Mel Profitt in the TV series Wiseguy (1988).
HBO Projects and Other Work (2003–2012)
Spacey hosted Saturday Night Live twice, in 1997 and 2006. In 2008, Spacey starred as Ron Klain in the HBO movie Recount. This film was about the Florida vote recount during the 2000 U.S. presidential election. The movie won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Spacey was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role. That same year, Spacey produced the TV movie Bernard and Doris. Spacey also voiced the bad guy Jonathan Irons in the 2014 video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
Spacey is known for his great impressions of other actors and famous people. He has shown these skills on TV shows like Inside the Actors Studio and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In 2007, Spacey's album Forever Cool featured duets with Dean Martin. In December 2007, Spacey co-hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.
House of Cards and Acclaim (2013–2017)
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In 2011, Spacey was cast as Frank Underwood in the Netflix series House of Cards. This show was based on a British political drama. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2013. This was the first time a lead actor from a web TV series was nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Spacey won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role in House of Cards.
Awards and Recognition
Kevin Spacey has won many awards for his acting. These include two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a British Academy Film Award. He has also been nominated for a Grammy Award and 12 Primetime Emmy Awards. In 1999, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also named an honorary Commander and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2010 and 2015.
Personal Life
Spacey believes there should be a difference between a person's public life and their private life. He has said that everyone has a right to privacy, no matter what their job is.
Community Involvement
Spacey has supported several fundraisers for HIV/AIDS healthcare. He participated in events like amfAR Cinema Against AIDS and the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party.
In 2008, Spacey started the Kevin Spacey Foundation in the UK. This charity aimed to help young people study the arts, especially theater. The foundation provided grants to individuals and organizations. It closed in 2018.
Discography
Albums
- Beyond the Sea: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2004)
Singles
- "That Old Black Magic" (1997, from the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil soundtrack)
Live Performances
- "Mind Games" – Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music – October 2, 2001, Radio City Music Hall
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Spacey para niños
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
- List of actors with two or more Academy Awards in acting categories
