Wes Bentley is an American actor who first became well-known via his role in the Oscar-winning film American Beauty (1999), in which he played the soulful, artistic next-door neighbor Ricky Fitts. He also portrayed gamemaker Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games (2012), and co-stars in Lovelace (2013) as photographer Thomas. Wesley Cook Bentley born ...
Jacqui Swedberg (m. 2010), Jennifer Quanz (m. 2001–2009)
Children
Charles Bentley, Brooklyn Bentley
Parents
Cherie Bentley, David Bentley
Siblings
Patrick Bentley, Jamey Bentley, Philip Bentley
Awards
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Young Hollywood Award for Best Onscreen Chemistry
Nominations
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout Star, MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance - Male, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
Movies
The Hunger Games, American Beauty, Pete's Dragon, We Are Your Friends, Interstellar, Ghost Rider, Final Girl, P2, Knight of Cups, There Be Dragons, The Four Feathers, Welcome to Me, Broken Vows, After the Fall, Amnesiac, The Game of Their Lives, Soul Survivors, The Better Angels, Weirdsville, Gone, ...
TV Shows
American Horror Story
Star Sign
Virgo
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Quote
1
(2012, on his former drug & alcohol addiction) I was risking everything to get drugs. I was driving around with homeless guys and people just out of prison, then I'd hit the streets and smoke all day. I'd already nodded off on set a couple times, and now I was being asked to leave auditions mid-reading because it was just so sad for them. I missed my brother's wedding because I was so messed up... The shakes, hearing voices, paranoia - those were daily occurrences for me. I was nearly dead, and I didn't care.
2
(2012, on his sobriety) I'm now at two and a half years sober. A little over two and half years. I can't believe it. I can't believe that I'm alive, much less than I'm able to do the things I'm able to do just on a daily basis. Back then I was stuck. I literally physically couldn't move before and now I have a 14 month old son and I'm back in the sunlight... It helps to be sober and be in this world. Not just sober meaning not drinking and doing drugs, but my mind is sober. I'm clear about my life now. I actually really want to be a part of great projects like this and I actually enjoy the promotion aspects of it now. I've found out I do like that stuff.
3
[on what happened after American Beauty (1999)] - I wanted fame, but I thought it would be incremental, and I became afraid of the overnight-sensation thing. I started walking into rooms, and everyone would look at me, and I would freeze up. People kept saying, "You have to find your next movie" and that didn't make life any better.
4
[on hitting rock bottom with being a drug and alcohol addict in 2009] - I had come back to L.A. for something, and I drank a whole bottle of Scotch, and I thought to myself, 'I'm going to die in this hotel room with this bottle of Scotch. It was after that I told a friend for the first time: 'I'm a drug addict, and an alcoholic, and I need help. I need help or I'm going to die.'
5
[on wishing he had heard a story like his own in his early 20s] - This would have helped me, at least, if someone would have made me realize that you don't need to do drugs to be artistic and express yourself. If you want to be artistic, if you want to be creative, if you want to express yourself, you can't let things get in your way, and drugs are included in that.
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Fact
1
The couple welcomed their 2nd child,a daughter,Brooklyn,in 2014.
2
Stated in an interview on the DVD of There Be Dragons (2011) that his sobriety was inspired during filming by someone else on the set who had been sober for two years. He stopped drinking and doing drugs during filming, with this person's help, and experienced a whole spiritual renewal in his life. He has been sober ever since.
3
In 2010, told The New York Times that he spent most of the 2000s seriously addicted to drugs including cocaine and heroin, and that he only took the few acting roles that he did so that he would have money to buy drugs.
4
The third of four sons, which included older brothers Jamey and Philip and younger brother Patrick Bentley.
5
Loves playing soccer in his spare time.
6
Was discovered at an open cattle call for the film "Rent". A casting director spotted him, and asked him to read for his film. Seven call backs later he was given the role, but the movie was never made.
7
Grew up in Mountain Home, Arkanas where he played the drums at his local junior high school. During sophomore year at school he moved to Sherwood, Arkanas. He then attended Sylvan Hills high school, from his sophomore to senior year.
8
Attended the same high school as actor Russell Taylor, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, before Bentley transfered to high school in Sherwood, Arkansas before his junior year.
While filming Three Below Zero (1998), the director Simon Aeby forbid Bentley from skateboarding to the set in New York City because he was the principle talent and needed to be on set every day of filming. But Bentley ignored the director's advice and continued to arrive each day via skateboard.
$1 Million
