Annette Bening

Annette Bening (born 29.5.1958)

Annette Bening is an American actress, well-known for her roles in Bugsy and American Beauty.

Annette Bening: Childhood & Early Acting Career

Annette Bening was born in Topeka, Kansas, to Shirley and Arnett Grant Bening. Her mother was a church singer and her father was an insurance salesman. The family later moved to Wichita and then San Diego.

Annette began acting at junior high school, where she played the lead role in The Sound of Music. She went on to study drama at Patrick Henry High School.

After graduating from high school, Bening attended San Diego Mesa College before undertaking a degree in theatre arts at San Francisco State University. She then joined the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. It was here that she laid the groundwork for her reputation as a talented stage actress.

Annette Bening: Acting Career

After leaving San Francisco, Annette Bening moved to New York, where her stage debut came off-Broadway with the Second Stage Theatre, playing Holly Dancer in Coastal Disturbances, alongside Tim Daly. Despite having gained herself a formidable reputation for her stage acting, it took some time for her film career to develop.

In 1986, Bening made her TV debut in the TV movie, Manhunt for Claude Dallas. Two years later, her film debut came with an appearance in The Great Outdoors, starring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy. The next year, she starred in Valmont with Colin Firth.

Annette Bening started off the 1990s with a role in The Grifters. The film was directed by Stephen Frears and starred Angelica Houston and John Cusack. Her performance was highly revered and led to her landing a role in Bugsy, with Warren Beatty, Harvey Keitel and Ben Kingsley.

Originally, Annette Bening was selected to play the role of Catwoman in Batman Returns but had to relinquish the role to Michelle Pfeiffer.

In 1994, Bening starred opposite Katharine Hepburn in Love Affair. She then received $3 million to play the role of Elise Kraft/Sharon Bridger in The Siege, alongside Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington.

One of Bening's key roles was in 1999's American Beauty. The film starred Kevin Spacey, Mena Suvari and Thora Birch. Directed by Sam Mendes, American Beauty was a hit with critics and cinema-goers alike and won five Academy Awards.

Mike Nichols has cast Annette Bening in three of his movies: Postcards From the Edge (written by Carrie Fisher and starring Shirley MacLaine and Dennis Quaid), Regarding Henry (with Harrison Ford) and What Planet Are You From? (with John Goodman, Garry Shandling and Greg Kinnear).

In 2006, Annette Bening starred in Running with Scissors, alongside Ryan Murphy and Joseph Fiennes.

Regaining the critical acclaim that she achieved for American Beauty, Bening wowed the critics with her performance in 2010's The Kids Are All Right. The film, a comedy-drama, also starred Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo.

Annette Bening: Personal Life

Following the breakdown of her first marriage to the choreographer J. Steven White, Annette Bening married the actor Warren Beatty, with whom she has four children.