In this weekend's Horrible Bosses, Kevin Spacey plays Jason Bateman's sadistic supervisor, a business director so despicable that he kind of deserves the extreme punishment Batemen, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day would like to inflict. How did Spacey transform himself from the guy simply credited as "Subway Thief" in Mike Nichols' Heartburn to a two-time Oscar winner and summer blockbuster draw?
You can always trace a direct line through a few important roles to illustrate what led to an actor's current success. So let's look at nine pivotal performances that track the evolution of Kevin Spacey.
Working Girl (1988)
After studying drama at Julliard, the New Jersey-born actor cut his acting teeth on Broadway in Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts, Molière's The Misanthrope and Anton Chekhov's The Seagull before landing a career-changing role in Mike Nichols' production of David Rabe's Hurlyburly. The legendary director was so pleased with Spacey's performance that he gave him his first film role (as the aforementioned "Subway Thief") in Heartburn before casting him in the (short but) memorable part as a lascivious, coke-sniffing businessman who comes onto Melanie Griffith in the 80's classic Working Girl.
Wiseguy (1988)
How about this for an impressive early career performance? While the actor was making the first of many jumps from stage to screen with the help of Mike Nichols, Spacey also tried his hand at television. After a few forgettable roles, Spacey landed a recurring part on the CBS drama series Wiseguy which allowed the actor to give the public a taste of the criminal/morally corrupt characters he would portray in years to come. Enjoy this reintroduction to a 29-year-old Spacey, who puts other actor's early-career performances to sizable shame as Mel Profitt, an insane multi-billionaire/criminal mastermind.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
After scoring his first leading feature role in that year's Consenting Adults opposite Kevin Kline and Rebecca Miller, Spacey merged his love of theater with his film career in James Foley's adaptation of David Mamet's Tony-winning play. As the "unblinking and cold" office manager John Williamson -- a precursor for his Horrible Bosses character -- Spacey received glowing reviews.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
It wasn't until Bryan Singer's neo-noir Usual Suspects, though, that Spacey broke out as a full-fledged star with his Oscar-winning role as Roger "Verbal" Kint. Critics called his performance "balls-out brilliant" as the small town conman whose twisting, cunning confession is the backbone of the ensemble film. Spacey followed this screen triumph up with David Fincher's Se7en that same year, as creepy, sin-obsessed murderer John Doe.
American Beauty (1999)
And then came the role that Spacey is probably best known for, the midlife crisis-bound Lester Burnham in Sam Mendes's critically celebrated American Beauty. Although DreamWorks reportedly wanted Mendes to search for more bankable actors, the director insisted on Spacey, who would end up taking home one of the film's five Academy Awards the next year for his powerhouse performance, which the actor and director loosely based on Jack Lemmon's character in The Apartment.
Pay It Forward (2000)
In Mimi Leder's tearjerker film (based on the novel of the same name), Spacey left behind his villainous roles to play a socially conscious elementary school teacher who falls for the mother (Helen Hunt) of one of his students (Haley Joel Osment). Although the film received mixed reviews and just so-so box office revenues, Spacey was again praised for his role as a complex (and this time compassionate) lead.
Beyond the Sea (2004)
After trying his hand at directing once before (with 1996's Albino Alligator), Spacey returned to the challenge with his 2004 Bobby Darin biopic, in which he starred -- somewhat controversially -- as the performer in his teens, 20s and 30s. (Spacey was 45 at the time of the film's release.) The actor told interviewers that he took the project on because he had a childhood fascination with the performer and believed that he was "born" to play Darin. Roger Ebert deadpanned in his review of the film that he believed Spacey was born to play more interesting roles. The film was met with mixed reviews and Spacey, who did all of his own singing in the biopic, has not directed a feature since.
Superman Returns (2006)
Spacey reunited with Usual Suspects director Bryan Singer (and his Beyond the Sea co-star Kate Bosworth) for Warner Bros.' superhero blockbuster. Because of his relationship with Singer, Spacey was reportedly the only actor considered to play the role of Superman's sociopath nemesis Lex Luthor. Spacey said that his take on Luthor was inspired by Gene Hackman's rendition, but critics felt mixed about the actor's "sour and sadistic" take on the villain. Regardless, Superman Returns has grossed over $400 million worldwide making it one of the best box office performers on Spacey's resume.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
This weekend, Spacey returns to the box office as another kind of sadistic villain -- the white collar kind -- in Seth Gordon's revenge comedy. At this point in his career, Kevin Spacey could probably play vindictive characters in his sleep but thirty-odd years after making his big screen debut, each performance is still a moviegoer treat.
Sound off on your favorite Kevin Spacey moments below.