Spacey tight-lipped about his plans as Tonys host
NEW YORK Getting Kevin Spacey to spill the beans about his plans hosting the Tony Awards turns out to be as likely as his character on “House of Cards” renouncing blackmail and backstabbing.
“I can’t tell you anything. You’ll just have to tune in and see,” Spacey told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I can tell you this: Everything’s on the table. So don’t dismiss any idea. It’s all possible.”
Spacey said he’s been busy with producers figuring out how to approach his first big hosting gig on Sunday. He’s been spending the last few weeks seeing Broadway shows to spark ideas and goes backstage to congratulate the various casts.
“We basically want to celebrate what has been a pretty remarkable season of work, both in straight plays and in musical categories,” he said before rehearsal at Radio City Music Hall. “All I know is I’m just going to have a good time.”
Spacey, who won Oscars for the movies “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty,” won a Tony Award in 1991 in Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers” and starred in the Broadway and West End productions of “Long Day’s Journey into Night.” He can currently be seen in Season 5 of “House of Cards” as the world’s most conniving politician.
With a foot in both Broadway and Hollywood — and a career singing onscreen in such films as “Beyond the Sea” and in concert to boot — Spacey brings glamour and acting chops to the hoisting job. He also has deep theatre history.
“Look, I grew up watching the Tony Awards. I grew up watching Jack Lemon and Jason Robards and Katherine Hepburn and Colleen Dewhurst and all the incredible people who meant so much to me and influenced me,” he said.
Spacey takes over from James Corden, the talk show host who last year brought an endearing, fan-boy vibe to the telecast, which was dominated by “Hamilton.” Spacey said he approaches his hosting duties like playing a role. “I look at this as no different. We are temporary custodians and so, on Sunday night, I’m the temporary custodian of the Tonys.”
Spacey will barely have time to breathe after Sunday. He will star in “Clarence Darrow,” a one-man play about the famed “Monkey Trial” lawyer, at a two-night event at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City on June 15-16.
Now, as the comedy readies for a return with the same cast, McCormack wonders what the reaction will be given growing political tensions and concern by advocacy groups over LGBTQ rights under the Trump administration in the U.S.
“A lot of what we did just kind of got accepted, and so it's insane right now to listen to some of the anti-gay crap that's going on in the States and think, ‘Have we all forgotten that only 13 years ago this was just another day in paradise? That we had a president for eight years that would carry a rainbow flag down the hall on Gay Pride Day?’
“We have forgotten very quickly. So I think ... that wellmeaning, well-thinking people everywhere kind of went, ‘Yes, we kind of need this again. It isn’t just nostalgia. We kind of need a show that is actively in your face, funny gay.’”
“Will & Grace” and “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders” are among the new series heading to Global this fall, while the Amazon hit “Transparent” will air on Showcase, and “Mozart in the Jungle” and “The Bachelor Canada” join W Network.
Other Global highlights, which were announced earlier this week, include “S.W.A.T.” with Shemar Moore and the military drama “SEAL Team” with David Boreanaz.
“Big Brother Canada” won’t be returning next year, after five seasons on the air.
“We feel we’d done what we wanted to do there, we felt we wanted to continue to try new things in the Canadian space,” said Barb Williams, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Corus Entertainment, noting the company has several new shows in development.
“So we’ve said at this point we won’t do another ‘Big Brother’ next year. Never ever say never.”
“Big Brother Canada” fans who’ve started online campaigns to save the show have an unlikely celebrity ally: “Saturday Night Live” alum Bobby Moynihan.
“I’m not happy (the show) has been put on hold,” Moynihan said during a stop in Toronto this week to promote his upcoming new comedy “Me, Myself and I,” which will air on CTV this fall.
“The Canada one is better than the American one, I think. Well, as far as production value. Huge fan. Please bring it back.”
Returning series include “Mary Kills People,” “Private Eyes” and “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which is entering its ninth season.