Kevin Spacey Q&A

10 months ago 04th Sep 09:15

For the past five years Kevin Spacey’s main focus has been his role as artistic director at the Old Vic Theatre in London.

His productions have included The Philadelphia Story, Richard II and the recent Speed-The- Plow and he has also developed the Old Vic’s education and community work. That said, Spacey’s theatre work has not overshadowed an impressive movie career which includes starring roles in films as diverse as Se7en, American Beauty, and Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil.

He has been nominated for numerous awards and has so far won two Academy Awards for his roles in The Usual Suspects and American Beauty.

In 21 Spacey stars as Micky Rosa, the college professor who introduces his students to Las Vegas, the world of card-counting and high stakes gambling.

Have you been surprised at maintaining a presence in American films while running London’s Old Vic theatre?

No, it was always my hope that I could maintain it. I suspected that when I started at the Old Vic that my focus would have to really shift.

As much preparation as I did, as much research as I did about previous artistic directors and their roles, and as many conversations as I had with friends of mine who had been artistic directors, I really didn’t know until I was in the middle of it just how much the job required, and what a really day-to-day job it was.

I’m involved in every single aspect of the company, but as we’ve gone on and as we’ve grown it’s been much easier for me to delegate because I now have an incredible staff.