Editing Kevin Spacey (section)

==== 1995–1999: Rise to stardom and awards success ====
[[File:Kevin Spacey (48171134437).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Spacey in 1996]]
Spacey gained prominence for his role as the enigmatic criminal [[Verbal Kint]] in [[Bryan Singer]]'s [[neo-noir]] film ''[[The Usual Suspects]]'' (1995). He starred opposite an ensemble cast including [[Gabriel Byrne]], [[Benicio del Toro]], and [[Chazz Palminteri]]. Todd McCarthy of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote, "Spacey is terrific as the mysterious weak link in the chain of thieves".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/the-usual-suspects-1200439940/|title= The Usual Suspects|website= Variety|date= January 27, 1995|access-date= January 20, 2024|archive-date= April 8, 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230408041024/https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/the-usual-suspects-1200439940/|url-status= live}}</ref> The role won him the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]]. He was also nominated for the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]] and [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role]].<ref name=tca>{{cite episode |title=Kevin Spacey |series=Inside the Actors Studio |date=July 2, 2000 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26GE33raQNQ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104191512/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26GE33raQNQ&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=November 4, 2019 |network=Bravo |season=6 |number=10|last=Lipton |first=James (host)}}</ref> That same year, Spacey also appeared in the [[David Fincher]] detective thriller ''[[Seven (1995 film)|Seven]]'' (1995) starring [[Brad Pitt]] and [[Morgan Freeman]]. Spacey made a sudden entrance late in the film as [[serial killer]] John Doe after going uncredited and unmentioned in the film's advertisements and opening credits. His work in ''Seven'', ''The Usual Suspects'' and ''[[Outbreak (1995 film)|Outbreak]]'' earned him Best Supporting Actor honors at the 1995 [[Society of Texas Film Critics Awards 1995|Society of Texas Film Critics Awards]].<ref name="aas951230">{{cite news |first=Abraham |last=Levy |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD97C511DD8C8F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |title=Texas film critics give 'Suspects' top honors |work=[[Austin American-Statesman]] |date=December 30, 1995 |access-date=December 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023034756/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD97C511DD8C8F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ac960105">{{cite news |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A530347 |title=The Society of Texas Film Critics 1995 Awards |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |date=January 5, 1996 |access-date=February 26, 2018 |archive-date=April 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404113847/http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A530347 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Spacey played an egomaniacal [[district attorney]] in ''[[A Time to Kill (1996 film)|A Time to Kill]]'' (1996) and founded [[Trigger Street Productions]] in 1997 with the purpose of producing and developing entertainment across various media. Spacey made his directorial debut with the film ''[[Albino Alligator]]'' (1996). The film was a [[box-office bomb]], grossing {{US dollar|339,379|long=no}} with a budget of {{US dollar|6 million|long=no}}, but critics praised Spacey's direction. He starred in the [[Curtis Hanson]] directed [[neo-noir]] crime film ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997) acting alongside [[Russell Crowe]], [[Guy Pearce]], and [[Kim Basinger]]. Spacey played the Detective Sergeant Jack Vincennes, an officer and technical advisor for a fictional TV police drama series. The ensemble cast received praise with Jack Matthews of ''[[Newsday]]'' citing Spacey as the highlight writing, "Best of ail are Spacey striking an impossible balance of smarminess and charm".<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-la-confident/87344349/|title= A 90s Chinatown depicts a 50s LA|newspaper= Newsday (Suffolk Edition)|date= September 19, 1997|page= 110|access-date= January 20, 2024|archive-date= January 20, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240120133927/https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-la-confident/87344349/|url-status= live}}</ref> The role landed Spacey a nomination for the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role]]. The following year he voiced the intimidating grasshopper, Hopper in the animated [[Pixar]] film ''[[A Bug's Life]]'' (1998).<ref name="cornucopia" /> Throughout his career, Spacey has been well known for playing villains; he remarked in 2013: "I think people just like me evil for some reason. They want me to be a son of a bitch."<ref>{{cite magazine |first= Chris | last = Nashawaty| title=Kevin Spacey: Good 'n' Evil |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=February 8, 2013}}</ref>

In 1999, Spacey acted alongside [[Annette Bening]] in [[Sam Mendes]]'s ''[[American Beauty (1999 film)|American Beauty]]''. In the film he played the role of Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father and advertising executive who becomes attracted to his teenage daughter's best friend. The film and its performance received widespread acclaim, particularly Spacey with critic [[Roger Ebert]] declaring, "Spacey, an actor who embodies intelligence in his eyes and voice, is the right choice for Lester Burnham. He does reckless and foolish things in this movie, but he doesn't deceive himself; he knows he's running wild--and chooses to, burning up the future years of an empty lifetime for a few flashes of freedom".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/american-beauty-1999|title= American Beauty|access-date= January 20, 2024|archive-date= August 9, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200809113215/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/american-beauty-1999|url-status= live}}</ref> For this role, Spacey won his second [[Academy Awards|Oscar]], this time for [[Best Actor in a Leading Role]]. In his acceptance speech he dedicated his Oscar to [[Jack Lemmon]], praising him as an influence, mentor, and father figure. He also stated, "[Lemmon's] performance in ''[[The Apartment]]'' stands as one of the finest we've ever had".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCjt7PME5_E|title= Kevin Spacey Wins Best Actor: 2000 Oscars|date= January 4, 2010|via= YouTube|access-date= May 21, 2020|archive-date= November 1, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171101204644/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCjt7PME5_E|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/072-1/|title=Kevin Spacey Academy Awards Acceptance Speech|website=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|date=May 21, 2020|access-date=May 22, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802225535/http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/072-1/|url-status=live}}</ref> For his role he also received a [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Award]] and [[Screen Actors Guild Awards|Screen Actors Guild Award]] as well as a nomination for a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Award]]. That same year, he was honored with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Taryn|last=Rider|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hollywood-chamber-commerce-no-plans-remove-walk-fame-stars-amid-sexual-harassment-scandals-173303074.html|title=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has no plans to remove Walk of Fame stars amid sexual misconduct scandals|publisher=[[Yahoo Finance|Yahoo! Finance]]|location=Sunnyvale, California|date=November 15, 2017|access-date=December 27, 2022|archive-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228011132/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hollywood-chamber-commerce-no-plans-remove-walk-fame-stars-amid-sexual-harassment-scandals-173303074.html|url-status=live}}</ref>