Born May 29, 1958, in Topeka, Kan., Annette Bening relocated to San Diego as a youngster and later graduated from San Francisco State University. After a stint at the American Conservatory Theater, her next stop was the Big Apple, a move that paid dividends in 1986 with a Tony nod for her role in "Coastal Disturbances."Hollywood came calling three years later as Bening landed a part in Valmont, following up with the 1990 film noir The Grifters, which brought her a supporting actress Oscar nomination. She mastered comedy opposite Michael Douglas in 1995's The American President.
Playing an off-kilter suburban wife in American Beauty (1999), Bening earned a Best Actress Oscar nod, duplicating the feat in 2005 with Being Julia. On the small screen, she nabbed Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her work in the made-for-cable drama Mrs. Harris. She won a Golden Globe and scored an Oscar nod in 2011 for the big-screen comedy The Kids Are All Right.
The Kids Are All RightJoni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), the children of same-sex parents Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), become curious about the identity of their sperm-donor dad (Mark Ruffalo) and set out to make him part of their family unit, often with hilarious results. But his... Read More
The WomenShocked by the discovery that their pal Mary's (Meg Ryan) husband is having an affair with a beautiful young shop girl (Eva Mendes), a tight-knit circle of New York socialites comes up with a devious plan to help Mary win back her man. This remake of George Cukor's classic 1939 film boasts an... Read More
American BeautyWhile struggling to endure his perfection-obsessed wife (Annette Bening), an unfulfilling job and a sullen teenage daughter (Thora Birch), suburbanite Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) falls deep into a midlife crisis and becomes infatuated with one of his daughter's friends (Mena Suvari). Director Sam... Read More
Mother and ChildFifty-year-old Karen (Annette Bening) regrets giving up her daughter, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), for adoption; years later, Elizabeth questions her own approach to life. Their stories intersect with that of Lucy (Kerry Washington), who hopes to fulfill her dreams of motherhood through adoption.... Read More
Running with ScissorsWhen Deirdre Burroughs (Annette Bening) impulsively decides that her adolescent son Augusten (Joseph Cross) should be raised by her unconventional psychiatrist (Brian Cox), her choice to give him away changes the course of his life forever. An all-star ensemble cast -- including Gwyneth Paltrow,... Read More
True and Impossible (2012) | NR | |
The Kids Are All Right (2010) | R | |
Mother and Child (2009) | R | |
PoliWood (2009) | NR | |
The Women (2008) | PG-13 | |
Running with Scissors (2006) | R | |
Mrs. Harris (2005) | TV-MA | |
NR | ||
Being Julia (2004) | R | |
NR | ||
R | ||
TV-Y | ||
What Planet Are You From? (2000) | R | |
American Beauty (1999) | R | |
In Dreams (1999) | R | |
Forever Hollywood (1999) | NR | |
The Siege (1998) | R | |
Directors: Rob Reiner (1997) | NR | |
Mars Attacks! (1996) | PG-13 | |
Richard III (1995) | R | |
The American President (1995) | PG-13 | |
Love Affair (1994) | PG-13 | |
Bugsy (1991) | UR | |
Regarding Henry (1991) | PG-13 | |
Guilty by Suspicion (1991) | PG-13 | |
The Grifters (1990) | R | |
Postcards from the Edge (1990) | R | |
Valmont (1989) | R | |
The Great Outdoors (1988) | PG | |
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