American Beauty star Kevin Spacey visited an Oxford college today after being named the new Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre.
Mr Spacey, actor and artistic director of The Old Vic Theatre, succeeds the actor Patrick Stewart. Mr Spacey gave a talk at St Catherine's College to mark the start of his new role.
The Visiting Professorship has previously been held by actors, writers, directors, and producers including Stephen Sondheim, Alan Ayckbourn, Richard Eyre, Diana Rigg and Sir Tim Rice.
Mr Spacey is the third American to take up the role since it was launched in 1990.
The Professorship is for one academic year, and Mr Spacey is expected to given a lecture, workshop or seminar once every term.
The Chair of Contemporary Theatre, founded through a grant from the Mackintosh Foundation at St Catherine's College, aims to promote interest in, and the study and practice of, contemporary theatre.
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