The instability in employment with Spacey’s father led Kevin, his two older siblings, and his parents to move around the country frequently. Eventually, the family settled in Southern California when Kevin was four.
Spacey was kicked out of the Northridge Military Academy as a teen and ended up going to Chatsworth High School. The school was well known for its drama program and Spacey took full advantage. During his senior year, Spacey starred in the high school production of The Sound of Music. His co-star was actress Mare Winningham.
After high school, Spacey decided he wanted to be a stand-up comedian and would often perform in bowling ally talent contests. After several years on the stand-up circuit, Spacey decided to take a more traditional approach and enrolled at the Juilliard School in New York City in 1979 studying drama.
Kevin began his acting career as a stage actor. His first big performance was in Henry VI, part 1, in 1981 at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Other Broadway parts soon followed, with his first appearance in Ghosts. Spacey also won a Tony award in 1991 for his role as Uncle Louie in Lost in Yonkers. Although Spacey branched out into film fairly quickly, he still returns to the stage and is active in the live theater community. He has also become a well-known theater director in London.
Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Spacey began breaking his way into television dramas such as L.A. Law and See No Evil, Hear No Evil, starring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.
News around town quickly spread of Spacey’s acting skills and he began landing bigger roles in films. In 1995 Spacey received critical acclaim for his role as a serial killer in Se7en, co-starring Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Morgan Freeman.
Spacey reached the A-list in Hollywood when he starred in The Usual Suspects in 1995, alongside Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollak, Benicio Del Toro, Gabriel Byrne, and Suzy Amis. His role as the criminal Verbal Kint, landed him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 1999, Spacey was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year he starred in the film American Beauty, along with Thora Birch, Annette Bening, and Mena Suvari. Spacey was awarded an Oscar for Best Actor in the film.
Kevin Spacey is also a supporter of the Democratic party, having donated over $42,000 in past campaigns. He was also a good friend of Bill Clinton before Clinton became the president.
Spacey moved to London to concentrate on the theater in 2003. He continues to star in films like Beyond the Sea in 2004, alongside John Goodman and Kate Bosworth. The film had been a dream of Spacey’s for some time. In fact, he co-wrote, directed, starred in, and sang the soundtrack for the film. Although the film was not as successful at the box office as Spacey had hoped it would be, he did receive a Golden Globe nomination for his role.
YUDDY
