Annette Bening Quotes

Yes, I know I’ve played these women, but I’m not really conniving at all.

We all perform our lives in a way. And the actor is a perfect metaphor to get at that theme of ‘how do we find our authentic selves?’ And that we all – whether we’re actors or not – perform ourselves. As a way of searching. As a way of fumbling around and trying to say, is this my voice? Is this who I am?

The tension I feel is the moment they say, ‘Action!’ Movies are like lightning in a bottle, and you always want to find when you possibly can catch a surprising moment.

Right now, I love the fact that I have so many opportunities, but I know this privileged position cannot last. That doesn’t mean that I’ll stop working. I picture myself as an old actress doing cameos in films with people saying: “Isn’t that that Bening woman?”

Oh, honey, I’m from Oklahoma! This is who I am – middle-class all the way!

My parents were very supportive. They went to every show. And they never told me not to do what I was doing.