Kevin Spacey sat down with Theater Talk‘s Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins to chat about his current role as Richard III (directed by Sam Mendes and which can be seen at BAM).
In the interview, he talks about how he can’t fathom how Lawrence Olivier, John Gielgud and Christopher Plummer performed Shakespeare drunk. If anyone’s curious, I can’t either.
He also talks about his work as the artistic director at the Old Vic Theatre in London and working with Mendes.
Check it out!
Clip: Spacey on Doing Shakespeare Drunk
The full interview
I’ve worked with actors who were drunk and or stoned on stage and on film. It’s dangerous for the other actors that they are working with because their reaction times are off. On stage I’ve gotten badly hurt by two actors in two separate productions who did this kind of behavior. I love performing. There is no better high in the world then getting an audience to enjoy what you are doing. If you have to get high to get on that stage or on that film set, then find another profession because you don’t belong as an actor. It’s just the height of unprofessionalism.