Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has scotched rumours that he is gay by revealing he has had a recent girlfriend and is thinking about having children.

The 40-year-old star of The Usual Suspects and LA Confidential told February's issue of She magazine that he regretted not answering no when asked if he was a homosexual in Esquire magazine two years ago.

And he says his Oscar-tipped role as the head of a dysfunctional family in acclaimed movie American Beauty has not put him off having children of his own.

'Offended by question'

Spacey criticises Esquire's cover shot of him against a pink background with the caption "Kevin Spacey has a secret".

He said: "My personal life was speculated on because I wouldn't answer a journalist's question, 'are you gay?'

"I said, 'I'm offended by your question. It ain't none of your business and it shouldn't matter'.

"At the time I thought 'I can't answer it now, or I'll look like I'm defending myself'. But I decided it doesn't matter to me or my family."

He added: "A couple of years ago, a discussion about having children came up between my girlfriend and me. I was like 'no, I'm working on my career'.

Hollywood honour

"Then I found myself, much to my surprise, talking about it. Actually, I think children are something I definitely want, and I think my life is leading in that direction."

Despite his openness, Spacey declines to reveal the identity of the girlfriend or disclose details of his current relationship situation.

Spacey recently had a star unveiled in his honour on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

Last year the actor, who won a best-supporting actor Oscar for The Usual Suspects, was named best actor at the Laurence Olivier Awards in London for his role in The Iceman Cometh.

The role at the Almeida Theatre in Islington also won him best actor awards from the London Theatre Critics' Circle and the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.