Annette Bening was born on May 29, 1958 in Topeka, Kansas, the youngest of four children.123 Her father Arnett Grant Bening was an insurance salesman, while her mother Shirley Katherine (née Ashley) was a church singer and soloist.23 Bening's family, originally from Iowa, were practicing Episcopalians and conservative Republicans.2

After growing up in Kansas and San Diego, Bening graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Theatre Arts.14 She also trained at the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where she performed in productions like "Macbeth" as Lady Macbeth.24

Bening achieved her breakthrough with the neo-noir crime thriller "The Grifters" (1990), for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and the BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.1234 She garnered further acclaim for her starring role as the materialistic wife Carolyn Burnham in Sam Mendes' acclaimed drama "American Beauty" (1999).1235 For her performance in "American Beauty," Bening won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, in addition to her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress and her second Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.145

Annette Bening has been married to acclaimed actor Warren Beatty since 1992.12345 The couple has four children together - sons Stephen and Benjamin, and daughters Isabel and Ella.234

Bening has been supportive of her children's endeavors, especially her youngest daughter Ella Beatty's foray into acting.45 In 2024, Bening was spotted backstage at Ella's Broadway debut in the play "Appropriate," proudly cheering on her daughter's performance.5