Testifying at his London sex assault trial on Thursday, July 13, Spacey asserted that he’s just a “big flirt” and denied the accusations brought against him by his accusers.

Also Read: Anthony Rapp just wanted a highly publicised hearing with media attention: Kevin Spacey attorneys

Who is Kevin Spacey?

Kevin Fowler Spacey is an American actor and producer. He was born on July 26, 1959, to Kathleen Ann, a secretary, and Thomas Geoffrey Fowler, a writer.

Early life

Spacey, who was born in New Jersey, spent a difficult childhood after he moved to Southern California with his family. His father, according to his sibling Randy Fowler, was a racist and abusive “Nazi supporter.” This led to Spacey emotionally shutting himself down and becoming “very sly and smart” to avoid any chances of getting thrashed.

Spacey pursued his 10th and 12th-grade education at Northridge Military Academy and Canoga Park High School, respectively. He graduated in 1977 from California’s Chatsworth High School.

Career

Spacey started young, performing stand-up comedy in local talent contests while he attended New York’s Juilliard School. His first onstage performance was at the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1981, in which he portrayed a character in the ‘Henry VI, Part 1’ play. The next year he made his Broadway debut in Henrik Ibsen’s play- ‘Ghosts’.

The 62-year-old shot to stage stardom in 1986, when he was cast in Eugene O’Neill’s play- ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night.’ The performance later earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He then ventured into films and gained critical acclaim, bagging a best actor Academy Award for his performance in the 1999 film ‘American Beauty’.

Films

His most popular films include ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ (1992), ‘Swimming with Sharks’ (1994), ‘Seven’ (1995), ‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997), ‘Pay It Forward’ (2000), ‘K-PAX’ (2001), ‘Beyond the Sea’ (2004), ‘Superman Returns’ (2006), and ‘Baby Driver’ (2017).

Also Read: Kevin Spacey’s lawyer questions accuser Anthony Rapp’s account at sexual misconduct trial

Controversies

Spacey made several headlines throughout his career, sometimes for the wrong reasons. In 2017,

actor Anthony Rapp claimed that the ‘Seven’ actor approached him and made sexual advances at a party in 1986. After Rapp’s statement, fifteen more people came forward and made similar sexual abuse allegations against Spacey.

In an apology to Rapp, Spacey revealed that he was homosexual.

“I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man,” he said.