Annette Bening Biography

The youngest of four children born in Topeka, Kansas, Annette Bening was raised in San Diego and studied at the local college, completing her drama degree at San Francisco State University. Following graduation, she studied at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater, and joined its acting company. After appearing in summer Shakespeare festivals and regional productions, she relocated to New York to pursue an acting career. It was there she appeared on Second Stage and then Broadway, for which she earned a Tony nomination for "Coastal Disturbances" in 1987.

Her feature film debut came in 1987 in The Great Outdoors opposite John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. In 1990, she received an Oscar nomination for her work The Grifters. Warren Beatty saw Bening's work in the film and was so impressed that he sought her out for his film Bugsy. She later earned another Oscar nomination in 2000 and won a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her outstanding work in American Beauty (1999). In 2005 she won her first Golden Globe award and her third Oscar nomination, for her work in Being Julia (2004).

In 2007 she received two Golden Globe nominations, for her work in the TV movie Mrs. Harris (2005) and in the film Running with Scissors (2006). Bening earned her first Razzie award nomination in 2009, along with fellow cast members Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Meg Ryan for their work in box office and critical bomb, The Women. However, she continues to get starring roles in movies such as The Kids are All Right, for which she won a second Golden Globe and received her fourth Oscar nomination, and the romantic comedy Ruby Sparks (2012). She starred in the comedy flick Girl Most LikelyThe Face of Love (2014) alongside Robin Williams and starred in Danny Collins (2015).

Annette's latest efforts include the ensemble piece Rules Don't Apply (2016) written and directed by Beatty, who also appears in the film as Howard Hughes. She also starred in the 2018 dramas Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool alongside Jamie Bell and The SeaGull, starring with Saoirse Ronan. Following a role in the romantic drama Life Itself(2018) alongside Antonio Banderas and Oscar Isaac, she played the role of Dr. Lawson in the popular Marvel film, Captain Marvel (2019), alongside Brie Larson.

In 2024, Annette received her fifth Oscar nomination for her lead role in the biopic Nyad (2023), in which she played true life long distance swimmer Diana Nyad.

Warren Beatty and Annette were married in 1992 and have four children.

Filmography

Poolman (2023)
Nyad (2023)
Jerry and Marge Go Large (2022)
Death on the Nile (2022)
Hope Gap (2019)
Georgetown (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
The Report (2019)
Life Itself (2018)
The Seagull (2018)
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017)
20th Century Women (2017)
Rules Don't Apply (2016)
Danny Collins (2015)
The Search (2015)
The Face of Love (2014)
Girl Most Likey (2013)
Ruby Sparks (2012)
The Kids are All Right (2010)
Mother and Child (2010)
The Women (2008)
A Woman of No Importance (2009)
Running with Scissors (2006)
Mrs. Harris (2005)
Diva (2005)
Being Julia (2004)
Open Range (2003)
What Planet Are You From? (2000)
American Beauty (1999)
Siege, The (1998)
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The American President (1995)
Richard III (1995)
Love Affair (1994)
Bugsy (1991)
Guilty by Suspicion (1991)
Regarding Henry (1991)
The Grifters (1990)
Postcards from the Edge (1990)
Valmont (1989)
The Great Outdoors (1988)