Kevin Spacey on Gay Marriage: "We're Going to Get it Right"

Among the remarkable guests who showed up to Petra Nemcova's 2008 Happy Hearts Gala was the one and only Kevin Spacey. Not only did the two-time Academy Award winner drop everything ( he's currently shooting The Men Who Stare at Goats with George Clooney in New Mexico) to come to New York and support his friend Petra, he also auctioned off a date with himself in London to help raise funds for the charity.

Kevin is a truly passionate actor with an amazing heart. He's also known for being elusive; as he puts it, the less you know about him, the easier it is to believe he's that character up on the silver screen. Check out our exclusive interview below as Kevin discusses Obama, Prop 8, and why he believes America is going to overturn the ban on gay marriage once and for all.

CelebsGoneGood: What brings you here tonight?

Kevin Spacey: Oh you know, anything that can help kids around the world, and I think that what Petra has done is pretty remarkable these last couple of years.

CGG: How do you feel about President-Elect Obama?

KS: Hope is in the air, and it's palpable. It's an exciting and generous spirit. And I think that the American public is ready for it, and I think he's ready for it, and I believe the world is ready for it.

CGG: What about Proposition 8? Do you hope California will fight the ban on gay marriage?

KS: Well there's no doubt that election night was a bittersweet night. But in some ways, these kinds of setbacks allow for a bigger fight, more challenges, and eventually we're going to get it right. Eventually the American public will figure out that it really isn't right to deny citizens basic civil human rights. And we can no longer allow that to happen.

So the fact that these things were voted in, to me, it's just an example of the fact that they had more money. How much money did the Mormon church put in? So I hope, like Arnold Schwarzenegger said, "Don't give up. Keep protesting."

CGG: Do you think that the UK has it right with Elton John pushing for civil unions, not marriage?

KS: Well, I haven't heard what Elton has said about it, and I don't really know the particular laws in London with respect to whether they just have civil unions or...Look, I think at the end of the day, if people are given rights, and the same basic rights that any individual is given, then we are in fact honoring the Constitution of the United States. Anything less than that is unfair.

This article was originally posted on CelebsGoneGood.

Comments

[SteveDenver]

Obama's viewpoint is evolving and Michelle will have a lot to do with that. I have been a gay Democratic activist for over 30 years and the demanding bitching among gay and lesbian groups is petty and immature, and doesn't encourage any politician on our behalf. Obama offers hope of opening up intelligent discussion. As a candidate he issued the following statement:

This past June, Obama addressed the Alice B. Toklas LGTB Democratic Club:
"I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, and the passage of laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states."

[Observer1000]

Obama is not against gay marriage. He has stated he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. He has NEVER stated that he supports imposing his belief on other people and eliminating a right that was granted to them. That's why he is not a bigot. There is a big difference between having a personal belief and imposing it on others.

[AnotherTry]

You can't be pro gay and anti-gay marriage. Sorry.

Obama's personal belief makes him a religious bigot. A Straight liberal hypocrite.

[Suzannew]

""You can't be pro gay and anti-gay marriage.

Of course you can. Elton John is an out and proud gay and he prefers to support civil unions rather than traditional marriage.

[Badbone]

Why is there this continuing disconnect on Obama's positions? Obama is AGAINST gay marriage. Yet anytime anyone else is against it, they're a hateful bigot. Obama's against, but no one seems to mention it.

[tasukibeth1]

Obama has clearly and repeatedly stated that he thinks it should be left up to the states and that it should not be a national issue. He has also clearly and repeatedly stated that Prop 8 was unfair and divisive. As a matter of fact, the Yes on 8 campaign took Obama's own words and twisted them in their commercials to make uninformed voters think that he supported Prop 8. He didn't.

If you know anything about his personality, it is pretty obvious that he couldn't care less about the issue.

[AnotherTry]

I've been screaming about this since he entered the race. Obama is a straight liberal hypocrite. Period.

[Letterman]

Much respect for Kevin Spacey. Knowing little or nothing about peoples (stars/ personalities/politicians/) personal lives is what we need more of.