All About Warren Beatty and Annette Bening’s 4 Kids

Warren Beatty and Annette Bening have been parents for over three decades.

The couple welcomed their first child, Stephen, in 1992, only a month after the opening of their first movie together, Bugsy. Son Benjamin arrived two years later in 1994, followed by daughter Isabel in 1997, and Ella in 2000.

Warren and Annette have mostly kept their kids out of the spotlight, but they both have shared a few stories showing their love and support for each of them. In 2004, Annette told PEOPLE she took a few steps back from her career to spend time with her family.

“I couldn’t go from picture to picture,” she said. “I’m too interested in the other things in life, like being with my kids and being with my husband.”

When she was working, she often brought her kids along, like when she shot the film Julia in Budapest and London. “They get a chance to see the world in a way that you don’t if you’re just a tourist,” the actress told PEOPLE of her kids’ European experience.

Annette also praised her husband’s parenting. “He’s a fantastic dad. He’s just enthralled, very thoughtful, very communicative,” she said.

These days, their kids are all grown up and living their own lives. Here is everything to know about Warren Beatty and Annette Bening’s four children.

Stephen Beatty, 32

Warren and Annette’s oldest child, Stephen Ira Beatty, was born on Jan. 8, 1992. Stephen arrived a month after the release of Bugsy, the movie his parents were filming when they first met.

Warren and Annette had previously confirmed their pregnancy with their firstborn in 1991 when Warren faxed a message to PEOPLE that read, “As you might have guessed, I’m still avoiding talking to the press about personal things, but I can tell you I couldn’t be happier about having a baby with Annette.”

In 2012, Stephen shared that he had begun transitioning from female to male in his early teen years. “My name is Stephen,” he said in a video recorded for We Happy Trans, per ABC News. “I identify as a trans man.”

While Stephen didn’t speak about his parents in his video, both Warren and Annette have made it clear that they love and support their older son. In 2019, Annette told AARP that she was “very, very proud” of Stephen.

“He’s managed something that’s very challenging with great style and great intelligence,” she said. “He’s an articulate, thoughtful person.”

Warren has similarly praised his son. In 2016, he told Vanity Fair of Stephen, “He’s a revolutionary, a genius and my hero, as are all my children.”

Most recently, in January 2024, Annette opened up on The View about feeling “protective” of Stephen when he first came out.

“At the beginning, I felt very protective of his privacy, because he’s the son of these two famous people,” the Nyad actress said. “So I felt very protective, and I felt it was his right to say what he wanted to say publicly, or not.”

She went on to explain how she became an outspoken advocate of the LGBTQIA+ community, “And now, as time has gone on — especially now with what’s happening, unfortunately, in the political process, [with how] trans people are being used — fear and ignorance is being stoked against trans people in the most frightening way. It’s so unfair.”

She continued, “And I feel very, very strongly about it … we don’t need people to stoke up fear.”

Benjamin Beatty, 29

Warren and Annette welcomed son Benjamin Beatty on Aug. 23, 1994.

In 2016, Warren mentioned Ben in an interview with AARP, telling the outlet he was “giddy” that his younger son was having dinner with him that night. “I’m an attentive father,” he said. “I have to struggle somewhat not to be overly attentive.”

The actors’ younger son has also followed in their footsteps. In 2016, Ben acted in the movie Hail, Caesar!, and two years later, he graced the screen again in the film UFO.

While speaking to PEOPLE in 2022, Annette revealed that she always wanted to be a mother, saying having a family “was something I always wanted to do, ever since I was a little kid, the minute I could start babysitting, like 12 or 13, I was the neighborhood babysitter. It just always felt natural to me. Nothing comes close.”

Isabel Beatty, 27

Warren and Annette’s third child, daughter Isabel Beatty, was born on Jan. 11, 1997.

Her Instagram account is public and offers glimpses into her personal life, including celebrating her younger sister’s graduation and a Thanksgiving spread prepared by her, Ella and Annette.

In April 2022, Isabel shared a sweet photo on X (formerly Twitter) of her dad celebrating his 85th birthday. She captioned the photo, “Deleting this in a lil bit but i think its sooo sweet so i post,” before later adding a reply that read, “Not deleting, the energy is too sweet to delete !”

Ella Beatty, 23

Warren and Annette’s fourth child, daughter Ella Beatty, joined the family on April 8, 2000.

In 2019, Annette revealed during an interview with AARP that Ella was studying at Julliard. Ella’s older sister Isabel later shared a photo on Instagram from her graduation in May 2022.

A few months before Ella’s graduation, Annette opened up to PEOPLE about being an empty nester. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to let go and just remember, ‘Oh, that’s not my job anymore.’ I’m so proud of these adult children, who aren’t children, but they’re my kids,” she said. “They’re all so different and they’re all out there discovering themselves and their voices. We think we’re there to teach them, and, of course, what we realize is that that they teach us everything.”

In October 2022, Ella announced in an Instagram post that she had joined the Ryan Murphy series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Ella was cast as Kerry O’Shea, the daughter of Truman Capote’s lover John O’Shea. The series is set to premiere on Jan. 31, 2024.

During the premiere of the show in January 2024, Ella opened up to PEOPLE about her “icon” mom and what her parents told her as she prepared to step into her career as an actor.

“Kindness, treat people with respect, work really hard and be grateful,” she said of the values they taught her.