American actor and director. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in “A Fish Called Wanda,” 1988 and two Tony awards for “On The Twentieth Century” in 1978 and “The Pirates of Penzance” in 1981. Other films include “Sophie’s Choice,” “Grand Canyon,” “Silverado,” “I Love You To Death,” “French Kiss,” “The Big Chill” and “In and Out.” Kline is called the “American Olivier” for his facility in running the gamut between musical comedy, light comedy, farce, drama and tragedy.
The son of a non-practicing Jewish father and a practicing Catholic mother, Kline was educated by Benedictine monks. With hopes of a career as a musician, Kline enrolled at the University of Indiana as a music major before switching to theater. After graduation, he moved to New York in 1970 and became a student of Juilliard’s new drama department. Upon completion of the program, he was accepted in Houseman’s newly formed group “The Acting Company.” His stage career, on and off Broadway, included starring roles in “Hamlet,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “The School for Scandal,” and “The Hostage Company,” along with several roles for The New York Shakespeare Festival. After reluctantly accepting a role in daytime TV soap opera, “Search for Tomorrow,” Kline soon returned to theater in the late ’70s and early ’80s before his impressive screen debut playing opposite Meryl Streep in “Sophie’s Choice,” for which he won critical acclaim, followed by “The Big Chill,” one of the most popular successful films of the ’80s.
Notorious for rejecting many roles, he has earned the nickname “Kevin D. Kline” (as in decline). “Every actor turns things down. If I do, it’s because I go back to the theater. So while I may be absent on the screen, I’m still working.” Unlike most successful actors, Kline insists on balancing careers on stage as well as film, serving as Artistic Associate of the New York Shakespeare Festival. “My career is right where I want it to be. I mean, every actor want to be offered everything so they have a complete choice of everything out there.”
Kline is married to actress Phoebe Cates. They have two children and make their home in New York City.
Link to Wikipedia biography