Annette Bening was born on May 29, 1958, in Topeka, Kansas, as the youngest of four children. Her family relocated to California when she was young, and she spent her formative years in the Golden State. After completing her education at San Francisco State University, Bening began her acting career with the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, before eventually transitioning to the stage in New York, where she received a Tony-award nomination in 1987 for her outstanding performance in the Broadway play "Coastal Disturbances". Her early film credits included a few TV movies, marking the beginning of her journey in the cinematic world.
Her breakthrough role arrived in 1988 with the forgettable film "The Great Outdoors", although her subsequent appearance in Milos Forman's "Valmont" (1989),an adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", garnered little attention due to the simultaneous release of the more successful "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988). However, Bening's career took a significant turn in 1990 with her co-starring role alongside Anjelica Huston and John Cusack in Stephen Frears's powerful and entertaining screen adaptation of Jim Thompson's novel "The Grifters", earning her the first of several Academy award nominations. Her artful portrayal of a con artist in this film showcased her remarkable talent and versatility as an actress.
The following year, Warren Beatty cast Bening as Virginia Hill, Bugsy Siegel's fiery actress moll, in his film "Bugsy" (1991),which tells the story of Siegel's founding of Las Vegas. Although the movie did not fare well, it led to a romantic relationship with Beatty, resulting in Bening's pregnancy and subsequent marriage to the renowned actor in 1992. This was her second marriage, as she had been separated from her first husband since 1986 but did not finalize her divorce until 1991. The couple collaborated on the extravagant but ultimately unsuccessful film "Love Affair" (1994),before Bening's career rebounded with her critically acclaimed performance as Queen Elizabeth in the 1995 production of Richard III.
Throughout her illustrious career, Bening has delivered numerous memorable performances, including her portrayal of an obsessive and pushy real estate agent in "American Beauty" (1999) and her titular role in István Szabó's screen adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel "Being Julia" (2004),both of which earned her Academy award nominations. Bening's remarkable screen presence, poise, and ability to deliver strong performances have made her a beloved and respected figure in the entertainment industry.
