One of the finest actors of American cinema, Kevin Spacey is also a screenwriter, director, and producer. Spacey, who began his career in the 1980s initially worked as a stage actor and later went on to appear in supporting roles in television and films. He tried his hand at comedy for several years before attending the Julliard School where he studied drama. Spacey made his first stage appearance in the play Henry VI, part 1. He subsequently appeared in several Broadway productions like Ghosts, The Misanthrope, Hurlyburly and The Seagull. Spacey made his Hollywood debut with a supporting role in the film Heartburn (1986).
Spacey continued to play supporting characters in his next few films until he starred in the TV series Wiseguy. His portrayal of a beady-eyed villain Mel Profitt made him a household name. He later starred in films like Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), and Swimming with Sharks (1994). However, he rose to prominence in the mid-90s with his role in the movie The Usual Suspects which earned him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Riding on his success, Spacey delivered another complex, eerie performance in the thriller Se7en (1995). He made his directorial debut with Albino Alligator (1996) which was well received by the audience. Arguably, his biggest success to date is the suburban satire American Beauty (1999).
Spacey won an Oscar Award for his portrayal of Lester Burnham, a middle-aged corporate cog. The film received rave reviews from the audience and the critics. Some of his other well-known performances are in the films The Shipping News (2001), Beyond the Sea (2004), Recount (2008) and Horrible Bosses (2011). Although he became a world-renowned actor, Spacey remained actively involved in the theater community. He won a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway hit Lost in Yonkers. In 2003, he was appointed as Artistic Director of The Old Vic Theatre Company. Spacey also turned director with the play Cloaca. He has also acted in several TV shows in the duration of his career. His first major television appearance was in the TV series, Crime Story. He also stars in the hit TV series House of Cards for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Spacey has also acted in Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), Elvis (2016) and Nixon (2016). In 2017, he appeared in the movie Rebel in the Rye and Baby Driver.