Wes Bentley: biography and personal life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Early fame for many actors is not so much a blessing as the cause of many life dramas. And often those who find the strength to fight, then become brighter and help others. One of these actors was Wes Bentley.

Childhood

Bentley was born in Arizona. His parents were far from creative activity, therefore for a long time the future actor could not even think about choosing cinema as his life's work. At school, Wes was bullied by his classmates because of his cute appearance. To stop this, he began to play sports and became seriously interested in football. As a teenager, he helped create a team at his school and even became its captain.

However, the ability made itself felt: Bentley also began to attend the school theater club, where he played his first major roles. Along the way, Wes learned to play the trombone while attending the school band. Together with his friends, Bentley also created a band with which he played concerts from time to time.

If before that Wes Bentley dreamed of a career as a hip-hop artist, then participation in school productions assured him of his desire to become an actor. Therefore, immediately after graduation, hewent to New York to continue his education.

American Beauty

The young man was able to continue his studies in the big city. However, student life turned out to be difficult - there was not enough money for almost anything. In order to pay rent and buy food, Wes had to audition and play small roles. They ate so much time that they had to give up their studies. The film "American Beauty" was another attempt for him. He did not think what participation in this picture would turn out for him.

The role of Ricky Fitts was coveted by many young actors who have already made their mark. That's why everyone was so surprised when one of the central characters was entrusted to play an unknown Bentley.

Unsure of himself, a touching young man, Bentley played so organically that he became popular immediately after the release of the drama. He was invited to the role of "good guys", similar to his first popular character. But Wes Bentley was afraid of clichés, so in his next film, The Boy from White River, he played a homicidal maniac. Together with him, Antonio Banderas also appeared in this picture.

After the release of several films in which the most popular actors in Hollywood played with Bentley, the rising star began to be called one of the most promising personalities in the film industry. And maybe soon he would become the owner of the most famous awards. However, fame brought new acquaintances into his life, among which there were far from the best ones: among the new friends there were avid drug addicts.

Drug addiction

As Wes Bentley later admitted, it seemed to him that drugs are an integral part of the life of any actor. His addiction began with soft drugs. Gradually, the actor got to heroin.

Drug addiction has become a huge obstacle to the further development of an actor's career. The directors refused to shoot him, despite his talent. The addiction of the actor created difficulties for filming. Therefore, he soon began acting in films of category B. He was ready to take on any role in order to get money for a new dose. One of the most striking roles of that period was the maniac from the thriller "Parking". Despite the small budget, this film was loved by fans of the genre and noted by critics.

Drug addiction ruined not only his career, but also his personal life. His first wife was unable to cope with her husband's addiction.

Wes Bentley himself realized that he needed treatment, and told his friends about it. Those helped him find a good clinic and go through the path of rehabilitation. After that, Bentley, with renewed vigor, took up the revival from the ashes of his acting career.

Wishing to warn a new generation of actors against the mistake they made, Bentley made a documentary in which he spoke frankly about his years of drug addiction.

Career rebirth

The actor's reputation was badly damaged, so he had to try hard to return to the big screens. Bentley's documentary was successful. Shortly thereafter heplayed in the film based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. After that, there was a series of films in which Wes Bentley played secondary characters.

It was years before Bentley landed a feature-length role. He played the steward of a brutal competition in the dystopian The Hunger Games. In the film about one of the main stars of adult films, Linda Lovelace, Bentley played a photographer.

Wes Bentley not only starred in box-office films, but also in arthouse. For example, he appeared as teacher Abraham Lincoln in the black-and-white film Better Angels. He was critically acclaimed for his role in the controversial thriller The Last Girl, which has been described as a bold parody of the genre.

Present

In the years that have passed since the day when the actor gave up drugs, Wes Bentley was almost completely able to return to his former glory. His filmography includes a variety of paintings, including the sensational "Interstellar".

Shortly after that, Bentley played a DJ in the movie 128 Beats Per Minute. The mentor aroused no less attention and sympathy from the audience than the main character played by Zac Efron.

Wes gained popularity among young viewers for his roles in the TV series American Horror Story. He first appeared in the fourth season, playing the demon Edward Mordrake. The mysterious and attractive character overshadowed many other heroes who were given more time. Not surprisingly, the following season, Bentley has already received one of the main roles. In season, centr althe theme of which was the hotel, the actor played detective John Law.

Private life

Currently, not only a successful actor, but also a happy family man is Wes Bentley. The actor's personal life is carefully hidden from the attention of journalists, but sometimes photos still appear in the press.

For the first time, the actor got married, even when he had just become famous. But the marriage to actress Jennifer Quons did not last long. A young woman decided to file for divorce when she couldn't handle her husband's addiction.

Four years later, Bentley got married again. This time, producer Jackie Swedberg became his chosen one. She helped her husband complete rehabilitation and return to normal life. The couple is raising two children. Often Wes Bentley appears with them for a walk. Photos of a family idyll often appear in various publications.

Wes Bentley is considered one of the most beautiful actors. A brunette with a charming smile is often invited to play the role of hero-lovers, but he prefers ambiguous characters. At an early stage of his career, it was said that he could become a model for Wes Bentley. The height of the actor (180 cm) allows this. However, his acting career attracted him much more, and he did not cheat on her.

Wes Bentley has become an example for many young actors who are trying to get rid of drug addiction. He went from a promising young actor to a virtually unknown performer in low-budget films. And now he is returning to the film Olympus again.