Kevin Spacey

Spacey was born in South Orange, New Jersey to Thomas Geoffrey Fowler, a technical writer, and Kathleen Spacey, a secretary; he has two older siblings, a sister and a brother, Randy. His father, who has been alleged by Fox News to have been a member of the American Nazi Party was often unemployed, causing the family to move frequently, eventually settling in Southern California in 1963. Spacey attended Northridge Military Academy after he set his sister's treehouse on fire, but was asked to leave after throwing a tire at another student at the academy, and subsequently attended Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California.

In the twelfth grade, he starred in the school's senior production of The Sound of Music, playing the part of Captain Georg von Trapp, opposite Maria (played by Mare Winningham). While in high school, he took his mother's maiden name, "Spacey" (originally a Welsh name, belonging to his great-great-grandfather, spelled "Spacy"), as his acting surname. Several reports have incorrectly suggested that he took the name in tribute to actor Spencer Tracy, combining Tracy's first and last names Spacey had tried to succeed as a stand-up comedian for several years. before attending the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied drama, between 1979 and 1981. During this time period, Spacey performed stand-up comedy in bowling alley talent contests. Personal life Spacey's sexual orientation has been the subject of discussion in the media. In the run-up to the 1999 Academy Awards, Spacey gave an interview to Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes on CBS in which he categorically refused to discuss his sexual orientation. He repeatedly asked, "What difference does it make?" Soon after winning the Academy Award for American Beauty, the tabloid The Star printed a collection of photos that allegedly proved Spacey's homosexuality. In January 2006 The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid newspaper, reported that a high school program dedicated to fighting homophobia listed Spacey among a list of famous homosexuals. The program's leader, Paul Patrick, apologized and called the listing a "mistake" and announced that Spacey's name would be edited out In an interview by Playboy in the October 1999 issue, in response to a 1997 Esquire article to the contrary, Spacey stated openly and repeatedly that he is heterosexual.

In August of 2004, while living in London, Spacey reported to local police that he had been mugged by a young man in a park at approximately 4:30 A.M. Several hours later, he withdrew the statement and apologized to the police, explaining that he had been conned into giving his mobile phone to a youth who had then run away with it, and that his bruises were the result of tripping over his dog while giving chase. The police accepted Spacey's new version of events and did not press charges. Spacey is a personal friend of former President Bill Clinton, having met Clinton before his presidency began. Spacey has described Clinton as "one of the shining lights" of the political process.

According to Federal Election Commission data, Spacey has contributed $42,000 to Democratic candidates and committees. In September 2006, Spacey announced that he intends to stay on at the Old Vic for at least another nine years, and that due to his continuing UK residency he intends take up dual British citizenship when it becomes available to him.