LONDON: Stars of stage and screen have paid tribute to Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey at a special gala event as his 11-year tenure at London’s The Old Vic theater comes to an end.

The two-times Academy Award winner took over as artistic director in 2003 and is widely credited with helping turn around the once struggling theater.

Sunday night’s gala was hosted by “Downton Abbey” actor Hugh Bonneville who praised Spacey’s work at the theater.

“Not only has he brought his own stage talent as an actor to The Old Vic and given it that bit of Hollywood glamor, if you like, because he is such an amazing stage, as well as screen, actor, but he’s really dug the roots of The Old Vic deeper than they were before,” he said on the red carpet.