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Henry Warren Beatty (
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth reg ...
Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, including four for
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, three for Original Screenplay, and one for Adapted Screenplay – winning Best Director for '' Reds'' (1981). Beatty is the only person to have been nominated for acting in, directing, writing, and producing the same film, and he did so twice: first for '' Heaven Can Wait'' (with Buck Henry as co-director), and again for ''Reds''. Eight of the films he produced earned 53 Academy nominations. In 1999, he was awarded the Academy's highest honor, the Irving G. Thalberg Award. Beatty was nominated for 18
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
s, winning six, including the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2007. Among his Golden Globe nominated films are, his screen debut, '' Splendor in the Grass'' (1961), ''
Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...
'' (1967), ''
Shampoo Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is used for cleaning hair. Less commonly, shampoo is available in solid bar format. Shampoo is used by applying it to wet hair, massaging the product into the ...
'' (1975), '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978), '' Reds'' (1981), '' Dick Tracy'' (1990), '' Bugsy'' (1991), '' Bulworth'' (1998), and '' Rules Don't Apply'' (2016), all of which he also produced. Director and collaborator Arthur Penn described Beatty as "the perfect producer", adding, "He makes everyone demand the best of themselves. Warren stays with a picture through editing, mixing, and scoring. He plain works harder than anyone else I have ever seen."Hunter, Allan. ''Faye Dunaway'', N.Y.: St. Martin's Press (1986) p. 41


Early life

Henry Warren Beaty was born March 30, 1937, in
Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...
. His mother, Kathlyn Corinne (
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
MacLean), was a teacher from
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
. His father, Ira Owens Beaty, studied for a
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in educational psychology and was a teacher and school administrator, in addition to working in real estate. His grandparents were also teachers. The family was
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul c ...
. During Warren's childhood, Ira Beaty moved his family from Richmond to
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
and then to Arlington and Waverly, then back to Arlington, eventually taking a position at Arlington's Thomas Jefferson Junior High School in 1945. During the 1950s, the family resided in the Dominion Hills section of Arlington. Beatty's older sister is the actress, dancer and writer
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...
. His uncle by marriage was Canadian politician
A. A. MacLeod Alexander Albert "A. A." MacLeod (April 2, 1902 – March 13, 1970) was a political organizer and a prominent member of the Communist Party of Canada and, later, of its legal group, the Labor-Progressive Party. He was an elected Member of Provin ...
. Beatty became interested in movies as a child, often accompanying his sister to theaters. One film that had an important early influence on him was ''The Philadelphia Story'' (1940), which he saw when it was re-released in the 1950s. He noticed a strong resemblance between its star,
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
, and his mother, in both appearance and personality, saying that they symbolized "perpetual integrity". Another film that influenced him was ''Love Affair'' (1939), starring one of his favorite actors,
Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...
. He found it "deeply moving," and recalled that " is is a movie I always wanted to make." He remade ''Love Affair'' in 1994, starring alongside Annette Bening and
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
. Among his favorite TV shows in the 1950s was the '' Texaco Star Theatre'', and he began to mimic one of its regular host comedians, Milton Berle. Beatty learned to do a "superb imitation of Berle and his routine", said a friend, and often used Berle-type humor at home. His sister's memories of her brother include seeing him reading books by
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earli ...
or singing along to Al Jolson records. In '' Rules Don't Apply'' (2016), Beatty plays
Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in t ...
, who is shown talking about and singing Jolson songs while flying his plane. MacLaine noted — on what made her brother want to become a filmmaker, sometimes writing, producing, directing and starring in his films: "That's why he's more comfortable behind the camera ... He's in the total-control aspect. He has to have control over everything." Beatty doesn't deny that need; in speaking about his earliest parts, he said "When I acted in films I used to come with suggestions about the script, the lighting, the wardrobe, and people used to say 'Waddya want, to produce the picture as well?' And I used to say that I supposed I did."Garrett, Gerald. ''Free Press-London'' and ''Detroit Free Press'', October 1, 1967, pg. 27


Education

Beatty was a star football player at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington. Encouraged to act by the success of his sister, who established herself as a Hollywood star, he decided to work as a stagehand at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. during the summer before his senior year. After graduation, he was reportedly offered ten college football scholarships, but turned them down to study liberal arts at
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
(1954–55), where he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity. Beatty left college after his first year and moved to New York City to study acting under Stella Adler at the
Stella Adler Studio of Acting The Stella Adler Studio of Acting (formerly Stella Adler Conservatory) is a prestigious acting school that was founded by actress and teacher Stella Adler.
. He often subsisted on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and worked odd jobs, including dishwasher, piano player, bricklayer's assistant, construction worker, and, relatively briefly, a Sandhog.


Career


1950s and 1960s

Beatty started his career making appearances on television shows such as '' Studio One'' (1957), '' Kraft Television Theatre'' (1957), and '' Playhouse 90'' (1959). He was a semi-regular on '' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' during its first season (1959–60). His performance in William Inge's ''A Loss of Roses'' on Broadway garnered him a 1960
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a 1960 Theatre World Award. It was his sole appearance on Broadway. He made his film debut in Elia Kazan's '' Splendor in the Grass'' (1961), opposite Natalie Wood. The film was a critical and box office success and Beatty was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and received the award for New Star of the Year – Actor. The film was also nominated for two Oscars, winning one. Author Peter Biskind points out that Kazan "was the first in a string of major directors Beatty sought out, mentors or father figures from whom he wanted to learn." Beatty, years later during a Kennedy Center tribute to Kazan, told the audience that Kazan "had given him the most important break in his career." Biskind adds that they "were wildly dissimilar—mentor vs. protegé, director vs. actor, immigrant outsider vs. native son. Kazan was armed with the confidence born of age and success, while Beatty was virtually aflame with the arrogance of youth." Kazan recalls his impressions of Beatty: He followed his initial film with Tennessee Williams' '' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'' (1961), with Vivien Leigh and Lotte Lenya, directed by Jose Quintero; '' All Fall Down'' (1962), with
Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...
, Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint, directed by John Frankenheimer; '' Lilith'' (1963), with Jean Seberg and Peter Fonda, directed by Robert Rossen; ''
Promise Her Anything ''Promise Her Anything'' is a 1965 British-American romantic comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Warren Beatty and Leslie Caron. The screenplay by William Peter Blatty is based on a story by Arne Sultan and Marvin Worth. The sup ...
'' (1964), with Leslie Caron, Bob Cummings and Keenan Wynn, directed by Arthur Hiller; '' Mickey One'' (1965), with
Alexandra Stewart Alexandra Stewart (born June 10, 1939) is a Canadian actress. Biography Born in Montreal, Quebec, Stewart left for Paris, France, in 1958, to study art. Within a year, she made her film debut in '' Les Motards'', and has since then enjoyed a ste ...
and
Hurd Hatfield William Rukard Hurd Hatfield (December 7, 1917 – December 26, 1998) was an American actor. He is best known for having played characters of handsome, narcissistic young men, most notably Dorian Gray in the film '' The Picture of Dorian Gray'' ...
, directed by Arthur Penn; and '' Kaleidoscope'' (1966), with Susannah York and
Clive Revill Clive Revill is a New Zealand actor, best known for his performances in musical theatre and the London stage. A veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he has also starred in numerous films and television programmes, often in character parts. ...
, directed by Jack Smight. In 1965, he formed a production company, Tatira, which he named for Kathlyn (whose nickname was "Tat") and Ira. At age 29, Beatty produced and acted in ''
Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...
'', released in 1967. He assembled a team that included the writers Robert Benton and David Newman, and the director, Arthur Penn. Beatty selected most of the cast, including Faye Dunaway,
Gene Hackman Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is an American retired actor and former novelist. In a career that has spanned more than six decades, Hackman has won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, two BAFTAs ...
, Estelle Parsons, Gene Wilder and
Michael J. Pollard Michael J. Pollard (born Michael John Pollack Jr.; May 30, 1939 – November 20, 2019) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as C.W. Moss in the film ''Bonnie and Clyde'' (1967), which earned him critical acclaim along with nomi ...
. Beatty also oversaw the script and spearheaded the delivery of the film. Beatty chose Gene Hackman because he had acted with him in '' Lilith'' in 1964 and felt he was a "great" actor."Blasts From the Past"
''Los Angeles Times'', August 24, 1967
Upon completion of the film, he credited Hackman with giving the "most authentic performance in the movie, so textured and so moving", recalls Dunaway. Beatty was so impressed with Gene Wilder after seeing him in a play and did not ask him to audition for what became Wilder's screen debut. And Beatty had already known Pollard: "Michael J. Pollard was one of my oldest friends", Beatty said. "I'd known him forever; I met him the day I got my first television show. We did a play together on Broadway." ''Bonnie and Clyde became'' a critical and commercial success, despite the early misgivings by studio head Jack Warner, who put up the production money. Before filming began, Warner said, "What does Warren Beatty think he's doing? How did he ever get us into this thing? This gangster stuff went out with Cagney." The film was nominated for ten
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, including Best Picture and
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
, and seven
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
s, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Beatty was originally entitled to 40% of the film's profits but gave 10% to Penn and his 30% share earned him more than US$6 million.


1970s and 1980s

After ''Bonnie and Clyde'', Beatty acted with Elizabeth Taylor in '' The Only Game in Town'' (1970), directed by George Stevens; '' McCabe & Mrs. Miller'' (1971), directed by Robert Altman; and '' Dollars'' (1971), directed by Richard Brooks. In 1972, Beatty produced a series of benefit concerts to help with publicity and fundraising in the George McGovern 1972 presidential campaign. Beatty first put together
Four for McGovern Four for McGovern, also known as McGovern, was a benefit concert held on April 15, 1972, produced by actor Warren Beatty to assist the 1972 presidential campaign of George McGovern, running as the anti-war candidate. The concert, held at The Fo ...
at The Forum in the Los Angeles area, convincing
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
,
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
and
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-sell ...
to perform. Streisand brought Quincy Jones and his Orchestra, and recorded the album '' Live Concert at the Forum''. Two weeks later, Beatty mounted another concert at the Cleveland Arena, in which Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon joined James Taylor. In June 1972, Beatty produced
Together for McGovern Together for McGovern was a political benefit concert held on June 14, 1972, produced by actor Warren Beatty to assist the 1972 presidential campaign of George McGovern, running as the anti-war candidate, against the Vietnam War. Also known as To ...
at Madison Square Garden, reuniting
Simon and Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of ...
, Nichols and May, and Peter, Paul and Mary, and featuring
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
. With these productions, campaign manager Gary Hart said that Beatty had "invented the political concert". He had mobilized Hollywood celebrities for a political cause on a scale previously unseen, creating a new power dynamic. Beatty appeared in the films '' The Parallax View'' (1974), directed by Alan Pakula; and '' The Fortune'' (1975), directed by
Mike Nichols Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American film and theater director, producer, actor, and comedian. He was noted for his ability to work across a range of genres and for his aptitude fo ...
. Taking greater control, Beatty produced, co-wrote and acted in ''
Shampoo Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is used for cleaning hair. Less commonly, shampoo is available in solid bar format. Shampoo is used by applying it to wet hair, massaging the product into the ...
'' (1975), directed by Hal Ashby, which was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay, as well as five Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture and Best Actor. In 1978, Beatty directed, produced, wrote and acted in '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978) (sharing co-directing credit with Buck Henry). The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Adapted Screenplay. It also won three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture and Best Actor. Beatty's next film was '' Reds'' (1981), a historical epic about American Communist journalist John Reed who observed the Russian
October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mom ...
– a project Beatty had begun researching and filming for as far back as 1970. It was a critical and commercial success, despite being an American film about an American Communist, made and released at the height of the Cold War. It received 12 Academy Award nominations – including four for Beatty (for Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Original Screenplay), winning three. Beatty won for Best Director, Maureen Stapleton won for Best Supporting Actress (playing anarchist Emma Goldman), and Vittorio Storaro won for Best Cinematography. The film received seven Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture, Director, Actor and Screenplay. Beatty won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Director The Golden Globe Award for Best Director – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Award that has been presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an organization composed of journalists who cover the United States film industry fo ...
. Following ''Reds'', Beatty did not appear in a film for five years until 1987's '' Ishtar'', written and directed by Elaine May. Following severe criticism in press reviews by the new British studio chief
David Puttnam David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, HonFRSA, HonFRPS, MRIA (born 25 February 1941) is a British film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of the House of Lords. His productions include ''Chariots of Fire'', which w ...
just prior to its release, the film received mixed reviews and was unimpressive commercially. Puttnam attacked several other over-budget U.S. films greenlighted by his predecessor and was fired shortly thereafter.


1990s and 2000s

Under his second production company, Mulholland Productions, Beatty produced, directed and played the title role of
comic strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...
-based detective Dick Tracy in the 1990 film of the same name. The film received positive reviews and was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. It received seven
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nominations, winning three for Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Original Song. It also received four
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
nominations, including Best Motion Picture. In 1991, he produced and starred as the real-life gangster Bugsy Siegel in the critically acclaimed and commercially successful film '' Bugsy'', directed by Barry Levinson, which was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor; it later won two of the awards for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The film also received eight Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture and Best Actor, winning for Best Motion Picture. Beatty's next film, '' Love Affair'' (1994), directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, received mixed reviews and was a commercial failure. In 1998, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in the
political satire Political satire is satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where s ...
'' Bulworth'', which was critically acclaimed and nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with th ...
. The film also received three Golden Globe Award nominations, for Best Motion Picture, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. Beatty has appeared briefly in numerous documentaries, including '' Madonna: Truth or Dare'' (1991) and '' One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern'' (2005). Following the poor box office performance of '' Town & Country'' (2001), in which Beatty starred, he did not appear in or direct another film for 15 years. In May 2005, Beatty sued
Tribune Media Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...
, claiming he still maintained the rights to '' Dick Tracy''. On March 25, 2011, U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson ruled in Beatty's favor.


2010–present

In 2010, Beatty directed and reprised his role as Dick Tracy in a 30-minute comedy film titled ''Dick Tracy Special'', which premiered on TCM. The short metafiction film stars Dick Tracy and
film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outlets ...
and historian Leonard Maltin, the latter of whom discusses the history and creation of Tracy. Tracy talks about how he admired Ralph Byrd and Morgan Conway who portrayed him in several films, but says he didn't care much for Beatty's portrayal of him or his film. At CinemaCon In April 2016, Beatty said he intends to make a ''Dick Tracy'' sequel. '' Rules Don't Apply'' (2016), is a fictionalized true-life romantic comedy about
Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in t ...
, set in 1958 Hollywood and Las Vegas. It stars Beatty, who wrote, co-produced and directed the film. It co-stars Alden Ehrenreich and Lily Collins, with supporting actors including Annette Bening, Alec Baldwin, Matthew Broderick, Candice Bergen, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen. Some have said that Beatty's film was 40 years in the making. In the mid-1970s, Beatty signed a contract with Warner Bros. to star in, produce, write, and possibly direct a film about Howard Hughes. The project was put on hold when Beatty began '' Heaven Can Wait''. Initially, Beatty planned to film the life story of John Reed and Hughes back-to-back, but as he was getting deeper into the project, he eventually focused primarily on the Reed film '' Reds''. In June 2011, it was reported that Beatty would produce, write, direct and star in a film about Hughes, focusing on an affair he had with a younger woman in the final years of his life. During this period, Beatty interviewed actors to star in his ensemble cast. He met with
Andrew Garfield Andrew Russell Garfield (born 20 August 1983) is an English and American actor. He has received various accolades, including a Tony Award, a BAFTA TV Award and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. '' Tim ...
, Alec Baldwin,
Owen Wilson Owen Cunningham Wilson (born November 18, 1968) is an American actor. He has had a long association with filmmaker Wes Anderson with whom he shared writing and acting credits for ''Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), and '' The Royal ...
, Justin Timberlake, Shia LaBeouf, Jack Nicholson,
Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987) is an American actress and activist. She is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Television Award as well as three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations for her work i ...
, Rooney Mara, and Felicity Jones. It was released on November 23, 2016, and was Beatty's first film in 15 years. Rotten Tomatoes' "Top Critics" gave the film a 63% "Fresh" rating, with one review calling it "hugely entertaining." Another review said that "the wait was worth it." The film was also a commercial disappointment. In 2017, Beatty reunited with his ''Bonnie and Clyde'' co-star Faye Dunaway at the 89th Academy Awards, in celebration of the film's 50th anniversary. After being introduced by Jimmy Kimmel, they walked out onto the stage to present the Best Picture Award. They had been given the wrong envelope, leading Dunaway to incorrectly announce '' La La Land'' as Best Picture, instead of the actual winner, '' Moonlight''. This became a social media sensation, trending all over the world. In 2018, Beatty and Dunaway returned to present Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards, earning a standing ovation upon their entrance, making jokes about the previous year's flub. Without incident, Beatty announced '' The Shape of Water'' as the winner.


Personal life

Beatty has been married to actress Annette Bening since 1992. They have four children. Their oldest child came out as transgender ( FTM) in 2012.


Before marriage

Prior to marrying Bening, Beatty was notorious for his large number of romantic relationships that received generous media coverage, having been linked to over 100 female celebrities. Leslie Caron said "Warren always had girlfriends who resembled his sister."
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
stated that "Warren has probably been with everybody I know." Beatty woke Caron up one night, telling her that he was worried that she was not thinking of him. Caron later realized that it was a sign of his narcissism and desire for control. She rejected his marriage proposals.


Politics

Beatty is a longtime supporter of the Democratic Party. In 1972, Beatty was part of the "inner circle" of Senator George McGovern's
presidential campaign President most commonly refers to: * President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
. He traveled extensively and was instrumental in organizing fundraising. Despite differences in politics, Beatty was also a friend of Republican Senator
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...
, with whom he agreed on the need for campaign finance reform. He was one of the pallbearers chosen by McCain himself at the senator's funeral in 2018.


Sexual misconduct allegation

On November 9, 2022, Kristina Charlotte Hirsch filed a lawsuit claiming that Beatty had groomed and manipulated her into having sex with him in 1973 when she was 14 and he was about 35. The lawsuit did not identify Beatty by name but described Hirsch's alleged abuser as having "acted in television and several Hollywood films, including portraying Clyde in ''Bonnie and Clyde,'' a major box-office success that earned DEFENDANT DOE an Academy Award for Best Actor"—all of which described Beatty. Hirsch's attorneys filed the motion in Los Angeles County Superior Court under a California law that allows people to temporarily override the statute of limitations and sue in cases involving underage sexual abuse, even if the abuse took place years or even decades earlier.


Filmography


Acting credits

Film Television


Theatre


Awards and honors

Beatty has received the
Eleanor Roosevelt Award The Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights was established in 1998 by the President of the United States Bill Clinton, honoring outstanding promoters of rights in the United States. The award was first awarded on the 50th anniversary of the Uni ...
from the
Americans for Democratic Action Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is a liberal American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA views itself as supporting social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research, and supporting pr ...
, the Brennan Legacy Award from the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, the Phillip Burton Public Service Award from the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, and the Spirit of Hollywood Award from the Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies. Beatty was a founding board member of the Center for National Policy, a founding member of the Progressive Majority, a member of the
Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is a nonprofit organization that is independent and nonpartisan. CFR is based in New York Ci ...
, has served as the Campaign Chair for the Permanent Charities Committee, and has participated in the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. He served on the Board of Trustees at the Scripps Research Institute, and the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation. He was named Honorary Chairman of the
Stella Adler Studio of Acting The Stella Adler Studio of Acting (formerly Stella Adler Conservatory) is a prestigious acting school that was founded by actress and teacher Stella Adler.
in 2004. The National Association of Theatre Owners awarded him with the Star of the Year Award in 1975, and in 1978 the Director of the Year Award and the Producer of the Year Award. He received the Alan J. Pakula Memorial Award from the National Board of Review in 1998. He received the Akira Kurosawa Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 from the San Francisco International Film Festival. He has received the Board of Governors Award from the American Society of Cinematographers, the Distinguished Director Award from the Costume Designers Guild, the Life Achievement Award from the Publicists Guild, and the Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award from the Art Directors Guild. In 2004, he received the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., and the Milestone Award from the Producers Guild of America. He was honored with the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...
's Life Achievement Award in 2008. In March 2013, he was inducted into the
California Hall of Fame The California Hall of Fame honors individuals and families who embody California's innovative spirit and have made their mark on history. The hall and its exhibits are housed in The California Museum in Sacramento. The hall of fame was conceiv ...
. In 2016, he was honored by the Museum of the Moving Image and received the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Beatty has received a number of international awards: in 1992, he was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (France); in 1998, he was nominated for a
Golden Lion The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguis ...
for Best Film ('' Bulworth''), and received a Career Golden Lion from the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...
; in 2001, he received the Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Sebastián International Film Festival; in 2002, he received the British Academy Fellowship from BAFTA; and in 2011, he was awarded the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award.


Unmade projects

* Untitled '' Dick Tracy'' sequel – Beatty was developing this project as of 2016; he reportedly had been talking about doing a sequel ever since the original was released in 1990. * ''Ocean of Storms'' – Beatty was to produce and star in this aging astronaut love story. Annette Bening was set to co-star. The script was written by Tony Bill & Ben Young Mason with revisions by Wesley Strick, Robert Towne, Lawrence Wright, Stephen Harrigan and Aaron Sorkin. Martin Scorsese was at one point attached to direct. The project was in development from 1989 until around 2000."Sorkin sues Fox, Beatty" ''Variety'' September 2, 1997
/ref> * ''Bulworth 2000'' – a sequel to his 1998 film that would have continued where the first film ended by satirizing the 2000 Presidential Election. * ''The Mermaid'' – Warren Beatty was attached to star in this love story about a sailboat racer who falls in love with a mermaid. The script was in development as early as 1983, from screenwriter Robert Towne. Herbert Ross was attached to direct it. However, they were eclipsed by the Ron Howard/Tom Hanks movie "Splash" (1984) and the Beatty project was canceled. * ''The Duke of Deception'' – Warren Beatty was attached to star in this Steven Zaillian scripted and directed adaptation of the book by Geoffrey Wolff. He was attached to the project from 2000 till about 2005. Eventually, the project was shelved after Beatty continued to procrastinate on his decision to star in it. * ''Liberace'' – Warren Beatty was interested in making a film based on the memoir '' Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace'' by Scott Thorson. The film would have been about the love affair between
Liberace Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer, and actor. A child prodigy born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin, he enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordi ...
and Thorson and the death of Liberace in 1987. The film was intended to be a black comedy, a melodrama and a satire on the illusions of how people perceive celebrities, excess, materialism and the loneliness of wealthy people. The film was to star
Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
as Liberace, Justin Timberlake as Scott Thorson, Oliver Platt as Liberace's manager,
Seymour Heller Seymour Heller (September 9, 1914 – October 8, 2001) was an American talent agent and artist's manager. Beginning his career during the Big Band Era, Heller spent more than 60 years in the entertainment industry. He was best known for his ass ...
, Michael C. Hall as Thorson's first lover,
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...
as Liberace's mother (which would have been the first time siblings Beatty and MacLaine would have worked together on a project) and Johnny Depp as Liberace's drug addicted plastic surgeon, Dr. Startz. Aside from a few drafts of the script and casting decisions, the film was never made. Scott Thorson's memoirs were eventually made into an HBO TV movie in 2013. * ''Megalopolis'' – Warren Beatty was attached to co-star in Francis Ford Coppola's epic during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the project was eventually shelved. * ''Edie'' – Between ''Ishtar'' and ''Dick Tracy'', Beatty considered directing and co-writing with James Toback a film about the life and death of Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick, whom Beatty personally knew. The film was to star Jennifer Jason Leigh as Edie and
Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...
as
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
but never materialized. * ''The Killing of a Chinese Bookie'' – During the late 1990s,
Brett Ratner Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, '' The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several film ...
tried unsuccessfully for several years to convince Beatty to star in a remake of the
1976 film The year 1976 in film involved some significant events. Highest-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1976 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events *January – Paramount Pictures sets up a separate motion pict ...
by cult director John Cassavetes. * ''Vicky'' – In the mid-1990s, Beatty was developing a biopic of Victoria Woodhull from screenwriter James Toback. Beatty was going to produce, possibly direct and co-star with wife Annette Bening. After the failure of ''Love Affair'' in 1994, the project struggled to get off the ground. Toback was also in talks as possibly directing it. * ''Shrink'' – In the mid-1990s, Beatty was considering a comedy from screenwriter James Toback, that detailed the hectic life of a psychiatrist, which Beatty was to star in. However, Beatty and Toback could never get the ending just right, so the project died.


Explanatory notes


References


Further reading

* Ellis Amburn, ''The Sexiest Man Alive: A Biography of Warren Beatty'', HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2002. . * Peter Biskind, ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'-roll Generation Saved Hollywood'', Simon & Schuster, New York, 1998. . * Suzanne Finstad, ''Warren Beatty: A Private Man'', Random House, New York, 2005. . * Mark Harris, ''Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of New Hollywood'', Penguin Press, New York, 2008. . * Suzanne Munshower, ''Warren Beatty: His Life, His Loves, His Work'', St. Martin's Press, New York, 1990. . * Lawrence Quirk, ''The Films of Warren Beatty'', Citadel Press, New Jersey, 1979. . * Stephen J. Ross, "Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics", Oxford Press, New York, 2011. . * Peter Swirski, "1990s That Dirty Word, Socialism: Warren Beatty's ''Bulworth''. ''Ars Americana Ars Politica''. Montreal, London: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010. . * David Thomson, ''Warren Beatty: A Life and Story'', Secker and Warburg, London, 1987. . * David Thomson, ''Warren Beatty and Desert Eyes'', Doubleday and Co., Inc., New York, 1987. .


External links

* * *
The Carolyn Jackson Collection, no. 13 – Interview with Warren Beatty
from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image * , with Elaine May speaking * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beatty, Warren 1937 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors AFI Life Achievement Award recipients Akira Kurosawa Award winners American film producers American male film actors American male screenwriters American people of Canadian descent BAFTA fellows Best Directing Academy Award winners Best Director Golden Globe winners Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners David di Donatello winners Directors Guild of America Award winners Film directors from Virginia Golden Globe Award-winning producers Kennedy Center honorees Living people Male actors from Richmond, Virginia New Star of the Year (Actor) Golden Globe winners Northwestern University School of Communication alumni Recipients of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award Scripps Research Stella Adler Studio of Acting alumni United States Air Force airmen Virginia Democrats Writers Guild of America Award winners Washington-Liberty High School alumni