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Kevin Spacey: ‘I’m Not Living a Lie — My Sexuality is Private’

Posted by Adam

Friday December 17, 2010

Kevin SpaceyKEVIN Spacey, who’s widely rumored to be gay, says he won’t discuss his sexuality — because celebrities should have the right to keep certain parts of their lives private.

“You have to understand that people who choose not to discuss their personal lives are not living a lie,” Spacey said during a recent interview. “That is a presumption that people jump to.”

When the interviewer pointed out that Spacey is very politically active, and that gay issues are a major part of the political landscape right now, Spacey denied that the two things could be connected.

“I just don’t buy into that the personal can be political,” he insisted. “No one’s personal life is in the public interest. It’s gossip, bottom line. End of story.”

In the interview, Spacey did say that gay rights and anti-gay bullying are important issues — but that forcing celebrities to discuss their sexuality is a form of bullying, too.

Back in 2008, Spacey revealed why he ditched his Oscar-winning film career to help the struggling Old Vic theater.

“It’s too easy to be suspicious of anyone who’s doing anything but they’re not doing it for money,” he said.

“I heard a lot of commentary about why would he be walking away from movies? Well I wasn’t walking away from anything, I was walking towards something.

“This is more than a job for me because I’m finally doing something that is outside of my own career and bigger than myself and I’m able to see the effects it has on people’s lives every single day and you just don’t have that experience in film.”

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  • Andrew

    Good for him…he is one hell of an actor, and i wouldn’t care if is having sex with monkeys, it’s his business and no one elses. Other actors should follow his lead! Good for him. He is one of the best!!!!

    • http://facebook john j. rodz

      IF YOUR GAY WHY WOULD YOU BE SO ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT?? IN THIS DAY AND AGE IT MEANS NOTHING TO ADMIT YOUR SEXUALLITY UNLESS OF COURSE YOUR IN THE MILITARY.

      • Pete

        He ALSO has the right to not make it public business. I personally don’t usually care to share my bedroom experiences with the public at large, and I find it sad that some believe that being gay must be accompanied by a “I’M HERE AND I’M QUEER!” mentality. Let the man do as he wishes.

      • jb

        He isn’t ashamed, he is saying it is none of anybodies business. I agree with everything he said in this article, he is obviously a deeper thinking person then most of the people in hollywood. Good for him. He is absolutely right when he says he is not living a lie just because he keeps his sexual life private.. I’m sick of hearing about everyone sex life.

  • sherry

    I admire his acting career everything hes done nearly has been amazing i have always been drawn to this mans films and own many, His apperance on the David Letterman Show was a bit odd, and i didnt know how to take it, but hes a gifted artist with a back bone that is admirable unlike many easily self indulgent and above the rest for what many now call acting a green screenand its not like the craft was, you most of you worship your gold statue and glamorize your hard effort as an actor, now many actors donot even have to act with the other cast members, broadway thats fucking work thats a craft, ok musicals yea, i love kevin

    • Linda

      I agree with you Joe. Completely. If you are a celebrity, make movies, have every move scrutinized cause you love the attention and the money it generates, you deserve not to have rivacy!!

      • Tess

        Why is it that a celebrity doesn’t deserve privacy? What’s the cut off for “the money it generates”? An actor making less than $1 million per movie?

        Some business people earn more than Spacey each year… should we be concerned about their private lives too?

        Why are we concerned with the private lives of politicians when they earn much less than many highly paid celebrities? The President of the U.S. earns no more than about $400,000 per year.

        Your lack of logic is profound. Your post makes you sound mean and so desperately pathetic that you must follow the sexual lives of people in the public eye.

  • JOE

    Sure his acting is good, but i have to call BS on this statement. You don’t get to use fame as a cause and then turn around and deny certain parts of your life when you used that to get where you are. Simpler way to put it would be you cant go hey look at me, look at me, watch me, watch me, make me rich, now mind your own business.

  • MM

    Kevin Spacey is an actor, not a “celebrity.” He’s not inviting you to examine his life. He’s practicing a craft and does it well, and it draws our interest. In this day and age, people expect those who entertain us to reveal everything, only because others (usually those more interested in celebrity than any art or craft involved) do so with such shameless abandon. Spacey owes us nothing. He often does great work, which is enough for some of us.

  • roger

    he’s obviously gay. he practically admitted it.

    • bob

      “Practically” admitting something isn’t the same as admitting it. Maybe he is gay, maybe not. What business is it of ours? He’s one hell of a fine actor and, by all accounts, a great guy too.

  • http://yahoo Hank

    I agree with Kevin spacy. He has the right to keep certain parts of his life secrect, and so does anyone else who think that some things in their lives shouldn’t be for sale

    This man is a great actor, he has perfected his craft, and he has given us what we have paid to see, and what he was paid to show us. this is whats so wrong in our country, and has continued to get our country in so much trouble, we as americans are so quick to judge without waiting for proof. In this case there is no proof required, because even if kevin Spacy is gay, its his choice, and he hasn’t broken any lawas by that. I done condone homesexual relationships, regardless if it;s a man or a woman, but I do feel that everyone has a right to live thye life as they see fit, as long as they are not breaking the law, or hurting anyone while doing it. God will be the judge of everything else.

  • http://yahoo becky berger

    I always knew he was gay-but completely agree with Joe-Mr. Spacey just needs to get the back bone to come out of the closet-period.

  • Lori

    i have always been intrigued by him. he’s talented,articulate. good for him! he owes no one any explanation, and shame on anyone who assumes it’s their right to know.

  • Todd

    I agree whole-heartedly with Mr. Spacey. They do not owe the public the intimate facts of their love lives or sex lives — period. They are entitled to their privacy as is anyone but, granted, for celebrities it is harder to keep privacy. I also agree with Mr. Spacey that forcing celebrities to talk about their private life if they do not want to is a form of bullying.

  • Felix

    People should just worry about their own lives and not feel the need to pry into other people’s lives. Is he gay? Does he worship cats? I don’t know. I don’t care. He’s a good actor. That’s all I need to know about.

  • bill

    Who cares if he’s gay? It doesn’t and shouldn’t matter. In fact, I agree we should not know as much as we do about our actors. I like a degree of mystery. And whatever character they are portraying shouldn’t be tainted with what the persons political views are or sexual orientation is. He is a classy dude. And more should follow his lead.

  • Pete

    I admire him as an actor, and admire and respect his wishes to keep his sexual business private. Everyone else should be decent enough to do so.

  • vlm310

    Whatever KS does in his bedroom with whomever he does it with doesn’t help nor hinder his Excellent acting skills. Will it change how he’s viewed/admired if he’s gay or straight? It’s hilarious how whether or not he’s gay is a big deal but on the flip side, people say “It really doesn’t matter!” Oh wow!

  • Joshua

    He’s a fudge-packing pole-sanding disgusting excuse for a man.

    • Jake

      And you are………………….??????

  • http://www.annchapman.net eric g

    everyones gotta learn someti

  • Bonnie

    Who gives a shit. There r more important things to worry about. Jobs, health care, people losing their homes, families worried about where their next meal is coming from.

  • Jay

    Bonnie, your words are right on the money. I have never given a shit less about anything more in my life. Why are we so interested in another persons sexuality so damned much? Unless of course we are banging said person. Get over your selves, gay people, straight people, bi – people, tri- people, etc, just stop already. Nobody with anything else to do cares anymore. 30 years ago, maybe, but now, it really isn’t an issue. Are half my friends gay? Shit if I know, never asked any of them because I don’t care. I ask them about what they do for a living, what they do for fun, favorite ball club, books, movies, musicals, shit that really means something. You know who cares about this sort of thing? Shit heads. Yep. That’s right, shit heads. Get your heads out of your asses America and stop being so hung up on sexuality already.

  • DanO

    Freddie Mercury had the same convictions.

    That he didn’t have to go to the forefront of an issue that was being thrusted upon him by activists. Bu then the gay community has an incomparable penchant for fracturing any sense of solidarity that they appear to have by attacking each other Honestly, Spacey’s personal life is his personal life. He doesn’t OWE anything to anyone. Leave him alone.

  • http://yahoo rankin

    Jerry brown gov. always comes off with the same words as the actor.but shrewed jerry got married at 68/69 years old to throw off the question.

  • Angie

    Kevin Spacey is just one of the finest actors alive.
    I respect him deeply and his refusal to discuss his sexual life demonstrate that he’s the ultimate gentleman.
    People mind your own lives and leave the others live theirs!!!
    We have to get back to good ol’ manners, when people didn’t care who sleeps with who….

  • Mary

    Wow, there are some scarey mean remarks here. If you’ve ever seen his work you know how talented he is. If you’ve seen his interviews, he’s a great imitator, clearly is a happy, pleasant man as many straight, gay people are. Me, I want to see his work. He is not a Kardashian, Gosselin, Octomom. He takes his work seriously and works hard. The arts community has the highest regard for his discipline, his body of work and his amazing talent. That’s what should be discussed. I guess he believes that, too.

  • peter solari

    Get a life, people! Who cares if Kevin is gay or inbetween! What’s it to you? Kevin is what he is and gives one hell of a lot to his wonderful performances. Straighten out your own lives, folks!

  • Makikijoe

    He has absolutely no right to privacy whatsoever.

    I, and millions of his fans, are entitled to know every last detail about him, without exceptions.

    I personally demand to know what kind of soap powder he uses, what brand of toilet papers he prefers and, most important of all, does he floss daily.

    If I have to, I’ll raid his garbage cans to find out.

    He should also come clean with us, not only about his orientaion but about ALL of his sexual fantasies. All of them. After all, I pay my ten bucks to see his movies, don’t I. It’s the least he can do.

  • jj

    He says that ones personal life has nothing to do with their public life. I beg to differ and I’d also be willing to go “all in” on a bet those same people have extremely liberal views. Those same views will infiltrate their voting slants as well. If one’s personal life doesn’t effect the way they vote……… then let nothing but pedophiles make policy. See what kind of slant they would lean. Ultimately, who you are and how you think in relationship to morality or one’s version of it will always dominate their votes as well. Example: If a Congressman is spineless and lies pathologically, they will have no problem with corruption or being corrupt themselves. On the other hand, if one is honest and forthright and known to be a man of their word,corruption would bother them and they would avoid corrupt people. Unfortunately, there are MANY corrupt in D.C.

  • Gail Hannan

    Kevin,
    I love love love EVERYTHING about you! You are a class act! Your sexuality is totally irrelevant to your true fans! Just be you! Oh, straight is okay too!!
    xoxoxoxo
    Your forever, whatever fan,
    Gail

  • Lora

    You GO Kevin-stay out of my bedroom and I will stay out of yours. I don’t know when it became OK to get into peoples personal (esp sex) lives.

  • http://yahoo.com jo jo

    he’s as gay as chinese pajamas…..even one wearing them does not want to admit they do….pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
    right Ricky (martin that is).

  • In LA

    Spacey is obviously gay as he spends a great deal of time talking around the question with defensive rhetoric – had he not been gay, he would have just answered the question as, “No, I’m not gay”. Many have known this for years, if you closely watch his demeanor and mannerisms in his films, it is clearly apparent. There are several other actors (Clooney) who are also in the closet (A well known fact in this town). For some reason, they feel it will damage their ability to be perceived as bankable at the Box Office. Too late.

    • janet

      BULL!

  • Tony

    How many of you people go out and announce your sexuality to people you work with or who are otherwise complete strangers?!? It’s not just about privacy, it’s also called none of our business. This (his sexual preference) should not even be a topic of discussion. Ask yourself this: why is it?

  • CeCe

    I enjoy Kevin Spacey as an actor, my fav movie of his is Pay It Forward. But in my opinion (and this is strictly MY opinion on the subject)this is a part of being an actor/actress. When you become an actor, you give up the right to a private life. It’s naive to think that people, the media, fans, etc. are not going to want to know about your life, when you put yourself open to it. In a perfect world, yes, EVERYONE, not just actors, should be entitled to a private life or have privacy. But we don’t live in a perfect world, not everyone is going to respect privacy, and when you put yourself in the lime light, you are opening a door for people to become curious about you as a person, it’s a part of human nature. So if you want a private life, you have to live as such! Stay out of the lime light, don’t do interviews, go to parties, etc. All you can do is try to portray yourself as a down to earth person who has faults, & people will respect that. (My opinion)

  • janet

    Good for you Kevin, you have always been one of my favorite actors and i have no desire to become embroiled in your personal life. I respect and admire you for your acting talent, end of story!

  • jano

    Good for him.. I don’t care one thing about his sexuality, or lack thereof. Too bad he isn’t as secretive about his politics, and his visits to see his buddy Jumping Hugo in Venezuela.

  • jano

    I saw Casino Jack about a month ago, and it did not impress me one bit. In fact, it was boring for one thing, and it telegraphed the ending by the time it was half way through.

  • Anne Sullivan

    Kevin, you are 100 percent correct in this stand. However, I find you extrememly talented and attractive and as a woman I would be a little bummed if you were gay. But I have to grow-up and live with life’s little disappointments. Good luck with your career.