Annette Benning was born on May 29, 1958 in Topeka, Kansas
as the youngest of four children. Although born in the Midwest,
Benning's family relocated to California during Benning's
childhood. After she graduated from San Francisco University
Benning began her acting career with the American Conservatory
Theatre (SF).
After gaining invaluable acting and performance skills, Benning
made her way to New York where she would pursue an acting
career via Broadway. In 1987 Annette was nominated for a Tony
for her performance in "Coastal Disturbances".
Annette's transition from stage to screen was with Dan Aykroyd
in 1988's "The Great Outdoors". However, the film
had to little to say in way of potential stardom. Nevertheless
Benning would persevere, and her next role, 1989's "Milos
Forman's Valmont" (an adaptation of "Les Liaisons
Dangereuses") was a solid performance, but... Hollywood
has just recently popularized the script with a much more
successful film, 1988's "Dangerous Liaisons".
It was in 1990 that Benning began to recieve the star status
she deserved. In 1990 she co-starred with Angelica Huston
and John Cusack in "The Grifters". Her performance
as a con-artist won her the first of what is now several Academy
Award nominations. Moreover, Benning's performance led husband-to-be
Warren Beatty to cast her in his 1991 flick "Bugsy".
The two were married in 1992 after she became pregnant with
their first child.
Her performance in 1995's "Richard III" was solid,
but it was her role in 1999's "American Beauty"
and 2004's "Being Julia" that once again turned
heads at the Academy and landed Benning an Oscar nomination
for her performance in both.
Benning seems a woman who fills her resume with many roles,
landing a stellar performance every so often. But like any
trade, practice makes perfect, and it seems Benning is getting
closer to perfection as she continues to nail her roles.
Currently her and Warren Beatty have four children.
Annette Bening's other credits include:
