Warren Beatty Turned 86 with Wife He Married at 54 after He 'Waited a Long Time' - Now He Chooses Family over Fame

Warren Beatty is 86! The star had many affairs: with Natalie Wood, with Madonna, even with Marilyn Monroe, with whom he spent one of the last days of her life walking along the beach. He was a real ladies' man, doubting marriage, until the age of 54 - when Annette Bening appeared in his life.

Warren Beatty is a veteran actor from Hollywood's golden age era, and his acting career spans six decades. Within these years, Beatty was also well-known for his exciting love life, including his opinions about marriage.

When he appeared on "The Dick Cavett Show" many moons ago, he got candid about marriage and revealed why he never wed.

"I have nothing against marriage. I never got married because I didn't know that I could stay married. Maybe we have to begin admitting what marriage really is. Maybe society needs to accept that we don't have to feel terribly guilty for more than one marriage. Maybe life can be made up of a series of marriages. I don't know what to think about marriage. I know that we have to come to terms with the family unit itself," Beatty explained.

The television host asked the movie star whether he had a philosophy about marriage as an institution, and the Virginia native responded:

"I think it's hard to abide by the old rules of marriage in contemporary society and be honest. I think it's hard."

Asked if he thought he would be like his dad and friends growing up, Beatty said, "I grew up in that American atmosphere of a certain amount of constriction, and I expected what most Americans expect out of life."

In recent years, Beatty appeared on "The Graham Norton Show," where his love life was discussed, especially bizarre facts about him. The talk show host addressed the speculation suggesting he has slept with 13,000 women in his prime years, to which Beatty replied:

"That was a very busy month. You have to be able to live a long time to be able to do that. And nobody twice and quite a number of people every day. The answer to your question is no."

Decades ago, Beatty's love life had been of public interest because of his ladies' man reputation. He was linked to several Hollywood women from the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

The once famous Hollywood bachelor was previously linked with: Julie Christie, Diane Keaton, Leslie Caron, Cher, Joan Collins, Natalie Wood, Goldie Hawn, Brigitte Bardot, Vanessa Redgrave, Diana Ross, Barbara Streisand, Michelle Phillips, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, and many more beautiful women.

Beatty, who has been described as "a samurai of sex" and "a model of discretion," briefly encountered Monroe after actor Peter Lawford invited the two to his house in Malibu to play poker and indulge in tacos. Beatty recalled the first time he saw the sought-after actress, saying her beauty was breathtaking.

Monroe invited him to take a stroll on the beach, and he agreed and described the experience as profound more than anything else. The pair returned to the house, where Beatty played the piano while Monroe sat on the edge of the musical instrument, wearing a revealing outfit.

She asked him how old he was, and he revealed he was 25. Beatty asked the blonde beauty the same question, and she said, "Three. Six," seemingly avoiding putting the two numbers together. By then, he could tell she was tipsy from champagne.

The following day, Monroe sadly died on August 4, 1962, and Beatty was the last person to see her alive. He tends to show reluctance in sharing the story as he is considered one of Hollywood's discreet stars.

However, Beatty is more willing to talk about his on and off-screen love with singer-songwriter Madonna, whom he called "more fun than a barrel of monkeys."

The Queen of Pop once claimed she had what it takes to make Beatty walk down the aisle, but that proved difficult then. Beatty, who admitted to believing in marriage, once expressed:

"I always felt when you take those vows and say 'Til death do us part,' that meant until death do you part. I've always questioned whether I would be able."

Nonetheless, the filmmaker spoke fondly of Madonna in November 2016: "She's a huge personality, diligent, disciplined, and a spectacular dancer and performer. She's a phenomenon."

The pair first connected in 1991 while filming Beatty's comic-book movie, "Dick Tracy," in which the "Material Girl" hitmaker starred as a sultry lounge singer Breathless Mahoney.

Still, the duo's romance soon fizzled out shortly after the film's premiere. Madonna and the 15-time Academy Award nominee reportedly had contradicting perspectives about life in the public eye.

Beatty got his Hollywood breakthrough at age 22, starring in his TV debut in the teen series, "The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis." He headed to Broadway afterward and later appeared in "A Loss Of Roses," which earned him a Tony nomination in 1961.

But Beatty's stint on "Splendor In The Grass" made him a household name. At the time, he had oozed sex appeal and had a lovable personality – becoming every girl's dream on and off the screen. During that period, he left actress Collins for his co-star, Wood.

However, Beatty's Casanova days ended when he met actress Annette Bening. The award-winning director touched on finally settling down with his one and only wife, saying he would not give in to marriage until he was 54:

"I waited a long time to be married."

Beatty Broke a Promise to His Future Wife

Beatty crossed paths with his spouse of three decades when he cast her as his love interest in his 1991 movie, "Bugsy." The pair met for lunch in preparation for the movie, and that was when Beatty knew that his life would change forever.

He recounted losing his appetite with the food he ate within seconds of their sit-down – interestingly, he admitted the garlic chicken dish was delightful.

At that meeting, he promised Bening he would not pursue her while filming. But he failed to keep his promise toward the end of shooting the movie and boldly asked her out for dinner. The Oscar nominee hesitated at first but eventually caved.

Bening reminisced about that period in 2022: "He was incredibly intelligent. I remember thinking this guy is so smart and so sharp and funny, and he was charming for sure."

Meanwhile, Beatty returned from their outing that day and told the film's director, Barry Levinson, that he would wed the "American Beauty" star. He also informed film director Mike Nichols, who remarked that Bening was the ideal partner for him, and they have been together ever since.

During an interview with "CBS: Sunday Morning," he was asked how much he loves his beautiful wife, and he chuckled before answering:

"It is the most intelligent thing that I ever have done. My life has completely flowered with Annette and the kids. I am extremely proud of her in every respect."

When asked what he believed his life would have been like if he had not met her, Beatty laughed and said he steered away from imagining that scenario.

At the time of the interview, Beatty and Bening were approaching 25 years of marriage, but he said it felt like "25 weeks" instead. The Hollywood leading man also expressed optimism about their long-lasting union, adding he is a very fortunate man.

When discussing his previous stance on marriage, the "Bonnie and Clyde" star stated that getting hitched did not catch him off guard. Initially, he shied away from matrimony because of fear of divorcing in the end, but that sprinkle of doubt went out the window after meeting Bening as he instinctively knew it was destined.

Beatty and the Kansas native tied the knot on March 3, 1992, and have been married for 31 years. They welcomed four kids together: sons Stephen and Benjamin and daughters Isabel and Ella. "That's the biggest thing that's ever happened to me – and their mother. That's bigger than fame, and it came not a moment too soon," Beatty said of his life as a family.

After settling down, he also decided it was time to shift his focus onto his loved ones and happily took a hiatus from show business because he wanted to provide his brood a normal life.

The father of four explained it could be burdensome to the kids to have two famous parents, so the best thing was giving them some seclusion. He described his sons and daughters as "brilliant and fun," adding he could talk about them all day.

The stars aligned for Beatty in life as he revealed having kids was always his desire and had planned on doing it the right way and, more importantly, with a partner who was on board with it.

His wife has been described as one of a kind by business magnate David Geffen, who has known Bening for over four decades. When the subject of their marriage came up, Geffen commented that it takes courage to commit to Beatty, who had a reputation for being a Casanova. He praised him for being a good spouse and a parent, adding he and the mother of his kids make a great couple.

The Secret of Their Long Marriage

Beatty and Bening revealed the secret to their enduring union in a joint interview in November 2016. The couple shared that the element of surprise plays a crucial role in their happy marriage.

"Every day she surprises me," said Beatty, while his spouse chimed in, "Definitely, he surprises me. He does the expected thing."

The lovebirds had attended the film premiere of "Rules Don't Apply," wherein Beatty wrote, directed, and starred in the film. The movie marked his first film in 15 years and the duo's fourth collaboration.

Reflecting on what he has achieved so far, Beatty disclosed that people always question why he stopped working as much. He answered by saying he has had a life to live.

That includes spending quality time with his beloved wife by going out. In August 2022, Beatty and Bening were spotted having a romantic date night at the tapas restaurant AOC in Los Angeles. The two were seen leaving the establishment with leftovers and were all smiles.

In February that year, before their annual romantic holiday, Bening appeared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" and divulged how they spend Valentine's Day. She revealed they do not splurge for the occasion and are very subtle about it.

"He will generally make me like a little Valentine with just a little red felt pen and make a little heart. He's very economical in his message. There's nothing to buy for him. He's one of those men, you cannot find anything that he...So, no, it's usually something small, it's a little note, it's a flower, yeah," said the award-winning star.

Bening and Beatty were pictured holding hands on December 4, 2016, during the 2016 New York Stage & Film Winter Gala at the Plaza Hotel. They coordinated in matching all-black outfits for the event.

The couple lives in a beautiful home atop Mulholland Drive. Their house features magnificent views, with one side overlooking mountains and the other the sea.

In October 2016, the pair were reported to be living with two of their kids, but by 2019, they were empty nesters. Bening shared she enjoys spending time with her beloved husband and their dog.

The husband-and-wife duo got their pet as a pup, and by the time of the interview, it was already grown, and they liked taking it out for walks.

The mother of four admitted to missing her offspring now that they are out of the house while noting that it is understandable that they want to live independently as adults and that she is proud of them for that.

That said, the BAFTA Award winner tries to keep in touch with her sons and daughters by texting to maintain her unbreakable bond with them.

Bening expressed nothing compares to the connection she has with her kids because it is unique in that she sees everything. Meanwhile, Beatty also keeps in contact with the couple's brood by texting them novellas while they hilariously reply with one-word responses.

The Hollywood couple became first-time parents when they welcomed their son, Stephen, in January 1992, followed by Benjamin in August 1994.

The duo's third child, eldest daughter Isabel, arrived in January 1997, and three years later, their youngest child, Ella, was born in April 2000.

Beatty and Bening's eldest child Stephen was born a female, and they named her Katherine Elizabeth. He started transitioning at age 14 and is now an activist for the LGBTQ community, including a poet and a writer. His father proudly said this about him:

"He's a revolutionary, a genius, and my hero, as are all my children."

Stephen openly talked about his transition journey in 2012, and his father had never publicly discussed his journey until a sit-down interview with Vanity Fair in 2016.

Beatty adores his children and laughs with them. In March 2018, his daughter Isabel posted a photo of him holding a stuffed animal toy.

She captioned her post: "The walking meme turns 81." The post was accompanied by a video of the family patriarch giggling with his loved ones.

Isabel also showed love for her famous dad, in June 2014 when she wished him a happy Father's Day. She described him as "one of the most interesting, eccentric, caring, and fun people I know."