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Annette Bening

Birth Place: Topeka, KS, USA

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BIO

Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. With a career spanning over four decades, she is known for her versatile work across screen and stage. Bening has received numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and nominations for five Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and two Tony Awards, making her one of few artists nominated for the Triple Crown of Acting without winning.



A graduate of San Francisco State University and the American Conservatory Theater, Bening started her career on stage with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival company in 1980, and played Lady Macbeth in 1984 at the American Conservatory Theater. She made her Broadway debut in the Tina Howe play Coastal Disturbances (1987) for which she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Making her film debut in 1988, she gained further recognition for her role in The Grifters (1990), for which she received her first Academy Award nomination. This acclaim continued throughout the 1990s and 2000s with further Oscar-nominated performances in the comedy-dramas American Beauty (1999) and Being Julia (2004), which respectively won her the BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Actress. Bening's performance as the title character in the British television film Mrs. Harris (2005) earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

In following decades, Bening received two additional Oscar nominations for her leading roles as a lesbian mother in The Kids Are All Right (2010) and swimmer Diana Nyad in the Netflix biographical film Nyad (2023), the former of which also won her a Golden Globe. She returned to Broadway in the revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons (2019) earning another Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Her other roles during this period include in the films 20th Century Women (2016), Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017), Captain Marvel (2019) and Death on the Nile (2022), and the miniseries Apples Never Fall (2024).

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Roundabout Theatre Company Broadway Revival, 2019
Kate Keller

[Off-Broadway]
Audible Off-Broadway Reading, 2018
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park, 2014
Goneril

[Off-Broadway]
1988
Penny

[Broadway]
1987
Holly Dancer

[Off-Broadway]
1986
Holly Dancer


Awards and Nominations

Drama League Awards - 2019 - Distinguished Performance Award

Annette Bening, All My Sons

Tony Awards - 2019 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Annette Bening, All My Sons

Tony Awards - 1987 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Annette Bening, Coastal Disturbances

Videos

News


Josh Groban, Brian Stokes Mitchell And More Join STARS IN THE HOUSE: VOTE-A-THON

Stars in the House has announced Josh Groban, Neil Patrick Harris, Brian Stokes Mitchell and more for the second annual Election Day Vote-A-Thon.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Martin Short, Shoshana Bean, and More Join STARS IN THE HOUSE Vote-A-Thon

“Stars in the House” will return for its second Election Day Vote-A-Thon with a star-studded lineup joining hosts Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson to talk about their voting experiences and deliver LIVE musical performances.
Video: Sarah Paulson Shares Personal Significance of Tony Award Win

Sarah Paulson recently visited The Kelly Clarkson Show and, on the show, shared the personal significance of winning the Tony Award earlier this year for her performance in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate. 
Photos: David Harbour, Cecily Strong, Ariana DeBose & More at A is For BAfA Event

A is For held their Broadway Acts for Abortion (BAfA) benefit on Sunday night in New York and the stars came out in full force to perform, donate their time and their own money to a raise money for reproductive rights and abortion access. See photos!
Video: Sarah Paulson Recalls Tony Award Mix-Up on THE TONIGHT SHOW

On Tuesday, Sarah Paulson visited The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon to discuss her new thriller film, Hold Your Breath. On the show, she also relayed a story about an incident with the Tony Award she won earlier this year for her performance in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate.
Chris Cafero's Solo Comedy Show TAKING MY LUMPS to be Presented at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater

Chris Cafero's new solo comedy show, TAKING MY LUMPS, will premiere at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater during the New York Comedy Festival. Directed by Stephen Guarino. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Photos: A Fantastic Night For Black Theatre United at Ziegfeld Ballroom

There are galas and there are galas and, then, there was what Black Theatre United pulled off last night, September 30th, celebrating GENERATIONS OF EXCELLENCE at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. From the moment you walked in to the moment you left, the love, respect, admiration and warmth throughout the evening was palpable.
Photos: Inside Black Theatre United's 2024 Gala

Earlier this week, Black Theatre United celebrated its 2024 Gala, “Generations of Excellence.' Check out photos from the star-studded red carpet!
Kate Winslet, Kerry Washington, & More Honored for 2024 WIF

WIF (formerly known as Women In Film, Los Angeles) has announced that Annette Bening, Michelle Buteau, Joey King, Ellen Kuras, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, Kerry Washington, and Kate Winslet will be honored at the 2024 WIF Honors, taking place on Thursday, October 24, at The Beverly Hilton.
23rd Annual San Diego International Film Festival Reveals 2024 Slate

The 23rd Annual San Diego International Film Festival is ‘Celebrating the Power of Film’ with curated screenings that inform, inspire and entertain. The Opening Night film premiere and party will be held at The Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park on Wednesday, October 16th.
Annette Bening to Chair Celebrity Poker Tournament for the Entertainment Community Fund

The Entertainment Community Fund will present the second annual Lights! Camera! Ante Up! Celebrity Poker Tournament. Learn more about the event!
Costume Designers Guild Awards Details Awards Date, Timeline & Location

The awards date, timeline and location have been announced for the 27th CDG Awards. The CDGA ceremony, celebrating excellence in film, television, short form costume design, and costume illustration, will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at the Ebell of Los Angeles. Nominations will be announced on Friday, December 13, 2025.
Sarah Paulson Joins Cast of Ryan Murphy Legal Series ALL'S FAIR

Tony Award winner Paulson has been confirmed to appear in the ensemble of a new legal series from Ryan Murphy. She will star alongside Niecy Nash, Teyana Taylor, and Naomi Watts.
THE BEAR, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, & More Receive 2024 Astra TV Awards Nominations; See the Full List

With 15 nominations, FX’s The Bear was the most nominated series this year, followed by Max’s Hacks and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building with 13 each. ABC’s Abbott Elementary and CBS’s Ghosts are tied for third place, with 11 nominations each.
Video: Entertainment Community Fund's Friedman J. Health Center Receives 2024 Tony Honor

On Sunday, June 16, the Entertainment Community Fund and Mount Sinai Doctors’ Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts received a 2024 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre. Watch the acceptance speech!
Video: Sarah Paulson Accepts Tony Award For APPROPRIATE

Sarah Paulson won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for APPROPRIATE. Watch he acceptance speech in the video here.
Fourth Annual Academy Museum Gala to Honor Rita Moreno, Paul Mescal and Quentin Tarantino

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has announced details of its annual fundraising gala, to be held on October 19, 2024. The Academy Museum Gala will celebrate the acclaimed museum’s third anniversary and will honor Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Mescal; Academy Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer Rita Moreno; and two-time Academy Award-winning and six-time Academy Award-nominated writer and director Quentin Tarantino.
David Henry Hwang & More Join Entertainment Community Fund Board

The Entertainment Community Fund welcomed the appointment of four new board members. Learn more about the Fund.
Photos: Robert De Niro & Annette Bening Visit PATRIOTS

Peter Morgan's work is back on Broadway this season with Patriots, led by Tony nominee Michael Stuhlbarg and directed by Rupert Goold. The show recently welcomed special guests Robert De Niro and Annette Bening for a quick backstage visit.
APPROPRIATE's Sarah Paulson Wins 2024 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Sarah Paulson has won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for APPROPRIATE.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Annette Bening been in?

Annette Bening has appeared on Broadway in 2 shows.

How many West End shows has Annette Bening been in?

Annette Bening has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Annette Bening been nominated for?

Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for All My Sons, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for All My Sons and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Coastal Disturbances.

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