Annette Bening’s most acclaimed Oscar-worthy film performances have captivated audiences for decades, yet despite her impressive talent and five Academy Award nominations, she has not taken home an Oscar. Spanning over thirty years in cinema, her body of work illustrates her remarkable range and ongoing influence in Hollywood, as seen in projects featuring Wes Bentley, Warren Beatty, Michael Douglas, Julianne Moore, and many other celebrated figures.
A Look Into Annette Bening’s Storied Career
Born on May 29, 1958, Annette Bening launched a career that has made her one of the most respected actresses in contemporary film. After earning recognition early on and marrying Warren Beatty post-“Bugsy,” she became central to a host of acclaimed films. This ranking details her top 13 performances—each demonstrating a different facet of her distinctive craft and including collaborations with directors such as Mike Nichols, Milos Forman, Sam Mendes, Lisa Cholodenko, and Rob Reiner.
13. Love Affair (1994)
Directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, with a screenplay by Robert Towne and Warren Beatty, “Love Affair” casts Bening opposite Beatty, Katharine Hepburn, and Garry Shandling. This reimagining of the classic romantic tale—previously filmed in 1939 and 1957—follows two lovers whose accidental meeting leads to a bittersweet separation due to tragedy. Despite its nostalgia, the film received muted responses, frequently described as “tepid,” and it struggled at the box office. Although the real-life chemistry of Bening and Beatty was highlighted, Hepburn’s final role as Beatty’s on-screen aunt frequently outshined the leads, providing a memorable farewell scene in her cinematic legacy.
12. Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (2017)
Directed by Paul McGuigan, with Matt Greenhalgh’s script, this biopic explores the later years of Gloria Grahame, once a golden presence in 1950s film noir. Bening takes on the challenge of portraying the vulnerable and glamorous Grahame as she faces terminal illness and a late-in-life romance with a much younger British actor, played by Jamie Bell. Though Bening delivers a performance that captures Grahame’s alluring charm and deep-seated reluctance to confront mortality, the film is sometimes critiqued for not allowing her the full depth of Graham’s story. The depiction remains notable for Bening’s commanding yet delicate portrayal.
11. Postcards from the Edge (1990)
Directed by Mike Nichols and based on Carrie Fisher’s semi-autobiographical script, this film stars Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, and Dennis Quaid. Bening appears as Evelyn, an actress whose world intertwines with Streep’s Suzanne—a performer caught between addiction and living up to her famous mother‘s legacy. The witty dialogue between the two—
“
Well, I don’t know how much of a rest I got.
”
—Evelyn, Evelyn’s playful banter—offers comedic relief and incisive character observations. Bening’s brief but memorable involvement includes comedic verbal blunders and sharp humor, further marking her adaptability in ensemble casts.
10. Valmont (1989)
Milos Forman directs this sumptuous period drama based on the same source as “Dangerous Liaisons,” with a screenplay by Jean-Claude Carriere and starring Colin Firth, Meg Tilly, and Fairuza Balk. Here, Bening plays the Marquise de Merteuil amid a web of intrigue and romantic manipulation. In contrast to Glenn Close’s darker interpretation in “Dangerous Liaisons,” Bening imbues the Marquise with youthful energy and subtlety. Although overshadowed by the more celebrated adaptation, Bening’s nuanced performance contributes to the distinctive style of Forman’s film and demonstrates her versatility in historical drama.
9. Bugsy (1991)
Barry Levinson, with a script by James Toback, brings to the screen the life of mobster Bugsy Siegel, played by Warren Beatty, with Ben Kingsley and Harvey Keitel among the leads. Bening lights up the film as Virginia Hill, Siegel’s ambitious love interest. Amid Bugsy’s entanglements in Hollywood and organized crime, Bening’s Hill is sharp-tongued and fiercely independent, famously quipping,
“
Why don’t you go outside and jerk yourself a soda?
”
—Virginia Hill. The role is instrumental in shaping the film’s energy, and Bening’s on-screen partnership with Beatty led to their real-life marriage, cementing their status as one of Hollywood’s enduring pairs.
8. The American President (1995)
Director Rob Reiner and writer Aaron Sorkin deliver a romantic and political narrative in “The American President,” featuring Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, and Richard Dreyfuss. Bening stars as Sydney Ellen Wade, a lobbyist drawn into a romance with the widowed President (Douglas), set against a backdrop of policy debates and political posturing. The film thrives on the chemistry between Bening and Douglas, with Wade’s intelligence and wit matching the President’s stature. After being dismissed from her position due to political fallout, Bening issues a memorable rebuke:
“
Mr. President, you got bigger problems than losing me. You just lost my vote!
”
—Sydney Ellen Wade. Her role balances idealism with realism in the heart of American politics.
7. Mother and Child (2010)
Rodrigo Garcia’s emotional drama revolves around adoption and intergenerational longing, with Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington, and Jimmy Smits in key roles. Bening plays Karen, a physical therapist marked by regret over giving up her daughter at age 14. Bening explores Karen’s bitterness, hope, and eventual willingness to embrace new connections, particularly with Smits’s character. The film’s structure allows Bening to reveal the depth of a woman grappling with her choices and seeking reconciliation.
6. Nyad (2023)
Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, with a script from Julia Cox, “Nyad” casts Bening as Diana Nyad, the indomitable marathon swimmer. The performance demanded both physical endurance and a compelling depiction of Nyad’s determination. Bening captures the athlete’s intensity and unyielding nature, showing a woman steadfast in her ambitions despite personal challenges. The authenticity Bening brings to Nyad’s character stands out as both powerful and transformative, earning particular notice as one of her most complex cinematic achievements.
5. 20th Century Women (2016)
Mike Mills writes and directs this introspective exploration focused on Dorothea, a single mother in 1979 Santa Barbara, portrayed by Bening alongside Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup. The narrative follows Dorothea as she seeks unconventional guidance from friends and tenants in raising her teenage son, resulting in both humor and pathos. Critics, including Moira Macdonald of the Seattle Times, observed the quiet strength of Bening’s presence:
“
She’s neither loud nor showy, just definite in her opinions, open in her outlook and remarkable in her spirit. … and Bening makes of her a master class in film acting.
”
—Moira Macdonald, Film Critic. The film is marked by a subtle yet impactful turn, offering a nuanced look at motherhood and generational dialogue.
4. Being Julia (2004)
Istvan Szabo’s period piece, written by Ronald Harwood, invites Bening to inhabit Julia Lambert, a leading stage actress in 1938 London nearing the crossroads of midlife. Starring alongside Jeremy Irons, Bruce Greenwood, and Lucy Punch, Bening’s Julia navigates personal and professional betrayals with cunning and style. Eventually, she orchestrates her revenge on those who have deceived her, a process that Bening delivers with both magnetic energy and humor. Although Roger Ebert described the film as a “wheezy melodrama,” he highlighted Bening’s “verve and energy” in his review, and her performance earned a second Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
3. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Lisa Cholodenko directs, co-writing with Stuart Blumberg, with Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo sharing the spotlight. Bening stars as Nic, an obstetrician who, with Moore’s character Jules, forms a stable same-sex couple in Los Angeles. The narrative complexity intensifies when Ruffalo’s Paul—the biological father of their children—reenters their lives, resulting in emotional turmoil and shifting family dynamics. Bening’s layered portrayal shines in a standout moment as she and Paul unite in a moving duet of Joni Mitchell’s “All I Want.” Her work in this film secured her a well-deserved Best Actress nomination, recognized for its authenticity and emotional clarity.
2. American Beauty (1999)
Sam Mendes directs this dark satire with a script by Alan Ball, where Kevin Spacey, Wes Bentley, and Chris Cooper round out the cast. Bening’s role as Carolyn, the ambitious and status-obsessed real-estate agent, juxtaposes sharply with Spacey’s Lester Burnham and his spiral into midlife crisis. Carolyn’s affairs, frustrations, and determined exterior make her one of Bening’s most finely drawn characters. A memorable moment unfolds at a fast-food drive-through, further highlighting her sharp comedic timing and vulnerability. “American Beauty” achieved five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and brought Bening her first nomination for Best Actress.
1. The Grifters (1990)
Stephen Frears directs this neo-noir, scripted by Donald Westlake, and featuring John Cusack and Anjelica Huston. Bening delivers a breakthrough performance as Myra, a cunning con artist whose relationship with Cusack’s Roy becomes a web of deception, betrayal, and survival. Her manipulative intelligence and edge make for riveting viewing as Myra entangles Roy and Huston’s Lilly in a ruthless contest. Both Huston and Bening earned acting Oscar nominations for their roles—Huston for lead, Bening for supporting—helping to secure Bening’s reputation as one of her generation’s leading film talents.
Assessing Annette Bening’s Lasting Impact
Throughout her extensive filmography, Annette Bening has repeatedly demonstrated exceptional range, whether portraying historical icons, complex mothers, ambitious partners, or morally ambiguous figures. Her work with directors like Sam Mendes, Barry Levinson, Mike Mills, and Stephen Frears reveals a dedication to challenging material and rich characterizations. While the Academy Award has so far eluded her, the depth and versatility captured in roles such as Carolyn in “American Beauty,” Dorothea in “20th Century Women,” and Myra in “The Grifters” have solidified her place among cinema’s most acclaimed actors. Bening remains a vital presence whose performances continue to resonate within the landscape of Oscar-worthy American film, setting a standard for her peers and captivating new audiences with each project.
