Spacey: seeking a star

by BAZ BAMIGBOYE, Daily Mail

Last updated at 19:01 18 April 2004


Kevin Spacey is hoping to entice one of Hollywood's top leading ladies to star with him on the London stage.

The Oscar-winning actor wants to appear in the sophisticated comedy The Philadelphia Story.

And people connected with the play have been sounding out the possibility of a Hollywood hottie - Cameron Diaz or Gwyneth Paltrow perhaps - sharing top billing with him at the Old Vic next spring.

The Philadelphia Story was written for Katharine Hepburn by Philip Barry and she starred in it on Broadway, and in a film version opposite Cary Grant and James Stewart. It was later turned into the movie musical High Society.

Spacey wants the play to be part of his first season as artistic director of the Old Vic. Four shows are planned, the first opening in September.

The Philadelphia Story - if it happens - will go on early next year.

Details are scarce, but Spacey's other choices may include Ian McKellen as panto dame Widow Twankey in Aladdin over the Christmas period - a role he has always wanted to tackle.

Ms Paltrow could play the Hepburn role, an East Coast patrician beauty, with her eyes closed - but may not want to after her baby's born in May.

Executives associated with the Spacey season weren't revealing anything.

They said they were playing with "six or seven options" for the repertoire and claimed the show in the most precarious state was The Philadelphia Story.

But I've heard that the producers who control the play's rights have a contract for it to be staged in London next spring.

Spacey clearly doesn't want me to spoil his launch next month.

"You'll just have to wait and see," one of his lieutenants said coyly.

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