Annette Bening

Annette Bening
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Name	Annette Bening
Caption	Bening in 2014
Birth name	Annette Carol Bening
Birth date	29 May 1958
Birth place	Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–present
Spouse	J. Steven White (m. 1984; div. 1991), Warren Beatty (m. 1992)
Education	San Diego Mesa College, San Francisco State University (BA), American Conservatory Theater (MFA)

Annette Bening is an acclaimed American actress renowned for her sophisticated portrayals of complex, often intelligent women across a distinguished career in film, television, and theatre. A four-time Academy Award nominee, she has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Her career spans from acclaimed work on the Broadway stage to iconic roles in major Hollywood films, establishing her as one of the most respected performers of her generation.

Early life and education

Annette Carol Bening was born in Topeka, Kansas, and raised primarily in San Diego. Her father, a sales training consultant, and her mother, a church singer, fostered an early interest in the performing arts. She began acting in high school productions before studying theatre at San Diego Mesa College. Bening then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University. She further honed her craft with a Master of Fine Arts from the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where she performed in numerous classical and contemporary plays, solidifying her foundation as a stage actress before moving to New York City.

Career

Bening's professional career began on the stage, with her Broadway debut in 1987's Coastal Disturbances, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. Her breakthrough film role came in 1990 as the cunning con artist in Stephen Frears' The Grifters, which garnered her first Academy Award nomination. This success led to a series of prominent roles in the 1990s, including in ''Bugsy'' opposite Warren Beatty, The American President, and the film adaptation of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. She received further critical acclaim and Oscar nominations for her performances in American Beauty, Being Julia (for which she won a Golden Globe), and The Kids Are All Right. In the 2010s and 2020s, she continued to choose challenging roles in films such as 20th Century Women, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, and as Dianne Feinstein in The Report. She also returned to the stage in 2019 to star in Arthur Miller's All My Sons on Broadway.

Personal life

Bening was married to actor and theater instructor J. Steven White from 1984 until their divorce in 1991. In 1992, she married actor, director, and producer Warren Beatty, whom she met on the set of Bugsy. Their relationship, notable for its longevity in Hollywood, has produced four children. The family resides primarily in Los Angeles. Bening is known for fiercely guarding her private life while being an active supporter of various charitable causes, including those related to the arts and environmentalism. She has served on the board of trustees for the American Conservatory Theater.

Filmography

A selective list of her notable film work includes: * The Grifters (1990) * Bugsy (1991) * The American President (1995) * American Beauty (1999) * Being Julia (2004) * The Kids Are All Right (2010) * 20th Century Women (2016) * Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017) * The Report (2019) * Death on the Nile (2022) * Nyad (2023)

Awards and nominations

Bening has received widespread recognition from major award-giving bodies. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times (for The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia, and The Kids Are All Right) and for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress once (for Nyad). Her wins include a BAFTA Award for American Beauty, two Golden Globe Awards (for Being Julia and The Kids Are All Right), and a Screen Actors Guild Award for American Beauty. She has also earned multiple nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award, the Tony Award, and awards from critics' associations such as the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Circle.

Category:American film actresses Category:Actresses from Kansas Category:Golden Globe Award winners