As part of Northeastern’s annual Homecoming Week, the Council for University Programs brought House of Cards star and Boston enthusiast Kevin Spacey to Matthews Arena. Speaking to a crowd of thousands, Kevin Spacey channeled Frank Underwood, the manipulative politician he plays on the Netflix series, and gave Northeastern students his guidelines for how to survive in college and beyond.
Spacey has had a prolific career as an actor, appearing in Horrible Bosses, LA Confidential, Se7en, and American Beauty, for which he won his second Academy Award. Spacey’s suggestion that students take risks and challenge themselves is evident in his accomplishments. In fact, Spacey landed his first big gig as the result of stealing a ticket to an exclusive event, at which he hounded the director for an audition. He served as the artistic director at the historic Old Vic Theater in London, a decision seemingly unusual for a film actor, but indicative of his interest in taking risks and broadening his horizons. And now Spacey will be playing a role in the newest Call of Duty through the use of voice and motion capture, which he believes to be the future of film and media.
In addition to speaking about his personal life and professional successes, Spacey connected with the audience through a mutual love of Boston. From cracking jokes about Northeastern’s infamous tunnel system, to showing pictures of his adopted dog Boston, Spacey made clear his love of the city as well as his knowledge of the university. And while he may have only spoken for an hour, Spacey made it a worthwhile one, giving words of inspiration applicable to undergraduate and graduate students alike.