Kevin Spacey

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

July 26, 1959 · South Orange, New Jersey, USA

Birth name

Kevin Spacey Fowler

“I don’t really look at my life or my work or what I do as being all that influential. I just do what I do.” Known for his commanding screen presence and meticulous character work, Kevin Spacey built a notable career in both theater and film before becoming one of the most controversial figures in Hollywood. Trained at the Juilliard School in the late 1970s, he began his career on stage, later earning acclaim on Broadway with roles in productions such as Lost in Yonkers (1991), for which he won a Tony Award. Spacey's breakout in film came with The Usual Suspects (1995), earning him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He later won Best Actor for American Beauty (1999), portraying a disillusioned suburban father. His filmography spans varied genres and decades, with notable performances in Se7en (1995), L.A. Confidential (1997), Swimming with Sharks (1994), Pay It Forward (2000), The Shipping News (2001), Beyond the Sea (2004), Superman Returns (2006), and as Frank Underwood in the Netflix series House of Cards (2013–2017), a role that redefined streaming-era television and earned him a Golden Globe. Known for his ability to portray morally ambiguous, manipulative characters, Spacey often employed a restrained, internalized acting style influenced by classical training. Despite professional success, his career stalled after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in 2017, which led to significant industry repercussions.