ACTOR KEVIN SPACEY ADMITS HE HAS A "HUGE EGO" -- "60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY" ON CBS

Kevin Spacey tells correspondent Lesley Stahl that, in the beginning of his career, his ambition often got in his way. "I just think I got a huge ego," remembers Spacey. "I think, in my case, I really wasn't very good at that point. I just wasn't good enough to play in the leagues that I wanted to play in, and yet I was pretending like I was." Stahl's interview with Spacey about his family, his career, his new job as artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre and his new film, "Beyond the Sea" will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY on Dec. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Following are excerpts from Stahl's report. You must credit 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY.

Spacey on how he met Jonathan Miller, the director of the acclaimed Broadway production of "Long Day's Journey Into Night" after attending one of his lectures: There was an elderly woman who was asleep next to me, and sticking out of her purse was an invitation to a cocktail reception in honor of Dr. Jonathan Miller following this particular event. And I thought�'You know, she's tired. You know, she's -- she's not going to go because it's late.' It was late, so I very carefully and very quietly�lifted her invitation�."

Spacey on his role as Jack Lemmon's alcoholic Son in "Long Day's Journey Into Night": "I did about four scenes with Jack and at the end of it Jack Lemmon walked up to me and he put his hand on my shoulder and he says, 'You know what? I never thought I'd find a rotten kid, but you're it. Jesus Christ.'"

Spacey on the "curse of the Oscar": "Success is both a fantastic thing and a little dangerous�.I think that one has to always try to keep success at bay."

Spacey on his mother, who died two years ago, and his new movie, "Beyond the Sea": So, the last year of her life, I sort of stopped everything and every day, I mean right up to the last few days, she would always lean over and she'd say, 'give me a BD update,' which is a Bobby Darin update. She wanted to know what was happening with the movie and the film is for her."

Josh Howard is the executive producer of 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY and Barbara Dury is the producer of this report.