Kevin Spacey: "People remember the characters. And that's exactly what I've always dreamed of"

«We don't get carried away by power; the only thing is how we, as actors, can respond instead».

The artistic (and public) “rebirth” of Kevin Spacey continues on different paths and projects, meetings, moments.

The two-time Oscar winner (for American Beauty and The Usual Suspects), is today a man probably more aware of the new journey he is undertaking, trying to leave behind the recent past marked by accusations of harassment, giving himself to the public who loves him and has been waiting for him for hours, returning to them memories, anecdotes, personal reflections. Having him in person is no small feat. The Lucca Film Festival succeeded, where for two days the American actor, in addition to receiving the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award, gave a Masterclass in the evocative setting of the Church of San Francesco, premiering his latest costume film, 1780, directed by Dustin Fairbanks, the night before. A historical thriller, set during the American War of Independence, and «a great emotional challenge».

The origins of Kevin Spacey

«I remember it was my mother who introduced me to cinema by showing me on TV the great Hollywood stars Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Humphrey Bogart. Then I discovered I had an ear for imitating them and making my mother laugh, who had a difficult life. Discovering I could do that was a great gift for me».

House of Cards, the series that changed everything

«The series turned out to be a global success», Spacey recounts, «it revolutionized the habits of television and gave me the most incredible character I have ever played. My mother loved the British original.

So when David Fincher and I pitched the reboot idea to Netflix, we already knew the direction we wanted to take. The original protagonist was named Francis Urquhart; we changed it to Frank Underwood because it didn't sound American, but it allowed us to keep the initials FU. If we made it today, perhaps the ideas would be different; I don't know if Frank needs to stay in Washington D.C. At the beginning of the sixth season, they told you they had ended Frank Underwood's life, but you never saw the body. When House of Cards was suspended, however, I saw my world disappear. I stood still watching the world move on, the productions, the films, the interviews, and I wasn't sure I would be able to return.

I must thank the encouragement of Ewan Lowenstein, my manager and dearest friend, who always stayed by my side. Ewan supported me and pushed me towards a future I didn't know if it would exist. I thank friends, family, and colleagues who took the time to support me», he said from the stage.

«Thank you for teaching me that second chances exist. I am happy to be here and I am happy that this recognition comes from Italy, a country I love and where I have spent a lot of time».

Between “good” and “bad”

«I don't believe that villains are more interesting than good guys. Evil is not interpretable; I can only interpret what a character feels, experiences, and what they are capable of doing. My character in Margin Call is more complex than any villain you can think of, because he is afflicted by human dilemmas. I enjoy playing comedies, but I also love dark characters. But there is no rule; it depends on the directors, the roles they offer me, and the projects. There was a period when the thing I wanted most was to become the best actor possible.

Now my goal is to prove that I am a good person.

Every day we can all be good or bad, selfish or generous, kind or rude; we have the opportunity to bring a smile to someone's face. I want people to enjoy themselves through my work».

Kevin Spacey, Italian cinema in his heart

«It will always have a very great influence. I had an incredible personal experience when I found myself on the bridge where Fellini's funeral procession had passed, and from there I decided to go visit his tomb. I was truly moved also to discover that the architect who had designed the tomb had died the day before his funeral and that Fellini wanted to be buried in that cemetery because from there you can see the train. I am very grateful that the Italian film industry has involved me repeatedly, starting recently with Franco Nero in “L'uomo che disegnò Dio” (The Man Who Drew God), whom I will never stop thanking.

I like directors like Sorrentino, Guadagnino, Alice Rohrwacher».

Betting on talent

«One of the things I have always loved to do in my career is help young talents. I started acting because someone took a chance on me, and I am happy to give the same opportunity to emerging directors. In 1780, I was called to learn a new ancient language. My model? I thought about Mark Twain the whole time».

In this regard, the comedy Minimarket will soon arrive on RaiPlay, where he will instead play a kind of narrative "mentor". «I will play a character who supports another person in realizing their dreams.

And this is something I really enjoy doing in everyday life as well».

The curiosity about American Beauty

«There's no way to act iconically, but there's only the intention. Only afterwards does the character become iconic on their own. The most satisfying thing is that people remember the characters and their names, and that's exactly what I've always dreamed of. During filming, we shot sequences that never made it into the movie.

They were scenes inspired by my dreams, scenes where I flew, even over the city; I recorded them with me hanging».