Warren Beatty

Tested for the role of Tony in West Side Story (1961).

John F. Kennedy wanted Beatty to play him in PT 109 (1963), after learning that director Elia Kazan had said that if anybody were to play JFK, it should be Beatty since they had so much in common. As Kazan stated, "Warren had everything Jack had. Looks, intelligence, cunning and a commanding eye with the girls. Warren also suffered from lower back trouble". Kennedy himself suggested Beatty to Warner Bros to play him. Jack L. Warner asked Beatty to fly over to Washington to meet JFK and talk about the movie with him, but Beatty did not want to make the trip, nor play the part. Beatty found the script too weak, that there was a surprising lack of action. His assessment turned out to be right: Cliff Robertson played the part and the movie flopped. Months later, JFK and Beatty met and Kennedy had to concede that Beatty's decision not to make the movie had been right. Beatty and Kennedy remained very good friends up until Kennedy's death in 1963.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1960 Tony Award as best supporting or featured actor (dramatic) for "A Loss of Roses", later filmed as The Stripper (1963) with Richard Beymer in Beatty's role.

What's New Pussycat (1965), a name he often called girlfriends, was written for him, but he turned down the role when Leslie Caron - his current flame - was turned down by producers for the other lead.

He was co-respondent in the 1966 divorce case involving the dancer-actress Leslie Caron and the producer Peter Hall.

Beatty first espied future long-term lover Julie Christie at the 1967 Royal Command Performance of the film Born Free (1966) in London, which he attended with his then-girlfriend, Leslie Caron. Caron and Beatty were situated near Christie in the reception line for Queen Elizabeth II, and Beatty first saw Christie in person when he turned to watch the Queen shake hands with her. Beatty inveigled his friend Richard Sylbert to tell her to call him. She did, he flew up to the San Francisco location of the Petulia (1968) shoot and, after a rocky start, they became lovers. She made her first public appearance with Beatty at a sneak preview of _Bonnie and Clyde (1967)_ for the Hollywood elite. It took them several months to rid themselves of their then-current lovers before they came together in a committed relationship, although they usually maintained separate households for the length of their long romance. Most of those who knew them said they shared a passion for the truth. Beatty told his friends he had asked Christie to marry him, but she refused as she did not want children. While filming Shampoo (1975) in 1974, Beatty bought his dream house and brought Christie over to view it. When she realized he had already assigned several rooms as nurseries, it dawned on her that their ideas for the future were too far apart to be able to maintain their relationship. She ended her long love affair with Beatty by phone, in the fall of 1974. His longest and most lasting relationship until he married Annette Bening, the mother of his four children, Beatty considered Christie his wife and told the press in 1971 that he would pay her alimony if they split up, if she wanted it. They did, but she didn't. When Beatty was awarded the Irving Thalberg Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in the year 2000, Christie was one of the friends and co-workers who appeared in a film tribute to her former lover.

Has produced two films that were nominated for Best Picture and had acting nominations in all four roles: Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Reds (1981)

Lived with Julie Christie from 1967 to 1973.

His performance as Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) is ranked #32 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains. This is ranking he shares with Faye Dunaway, who portrayed Bonnie Parker.

Became close to Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Beatty's relationship with Robert F. Kennedy was closer than the one Beatty had had with John F. Kennedy. Beatty was particularly valuable during the campaign in firing up volunteers for such mundane activities as door-to-door canvassing. Robert F. Kennedy was impressed by Beatty's thorough understanding of the issues. After the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in Beatty's hometown of Los Angeles, Beatty became a vocal gun control advocate.

Was the first choice to play Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972), but he turned it down.

A political liberal, he personally campaigned for South Dakota Senator George McGovern in the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential primary in 1972.

Credited with founding the concept of a political fund-raising concert when he and his girlfriend Julie Christie backed the "Together with McGovern" concert in 1972 featuring Barbra Streisand, Carole King, James Taylor and even reuniting Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel (Simon and Garfunkel).

Was an advisor on George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign.

Was the first choice to play the lead in The Way We Were (1973).

Turned down the lead in The Way We Were (1973), Beatty also rejected Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) because he wanted to work with George Stevens on The Only Game in Town (1970). Turned down The Sting (1973) and The Great Gatsby (1974) so that he could devote his time to the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Based his Shampoo (1975) character "George Roundy" on celebrity hairdresser Jay Sebring.

Claims he was offered the lead role in Rocky (1976).

He directed 7 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Jack Warden, Dyan Cannon, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Maureen Stapleton, Al Pacino and himself (in Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Reds (1981). Maureen Stapleton won an Oscar for her performance in Reds (1981).

He is the only person to be nominated for 4 Academy Awards (Best Picture, Directing, Lead Actor & Screenplay) in the same year in two-times. First for Heaven Can Wait (1978), later for Reds (1981).

Despite their political differences, he is good friends with John McCain and Nancy Davis. He was also a longtime friend of Ronald Reagan since his early career in Hollywood. As President, Reagan invited Beatty to screen his film Reds (1981) at the White House.

Oliver Stone tried casting him twice - once as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987) and then as Richard M. Nixon in Nixon (1995).

Has four children with Annette Bening: Kathlyn (b. January 8, 1992), Benjamin (b. August 23, 1994), Isabel (b. January 11, 1997), and Ella (b. April 8, 2000).

Was offered the lead role in Jade (1995) but turned it down. David Caruso signed on to star instead.

Was offered the role of Richard Nixon twice in his career: with Oliver Stone in Nixon (1995) and with Ron Howard in Frost/Nixon (2008).

Was originally cast as the president in Mars Attacks! (1996).

Turned down the role of Jack Horner in Boogie Nights (1997). He later said that it was one of the few choices in his career that he regretted. Burt Reynolds garnered an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the film.

His political views expounded by the "new" Jay Bulworth in the movie Bulworth (1998) are really his own.

Received the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award at The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) (TV), presented to him by his friend and neighbor Jack Nicholson.

Turned down the role of Bill in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) because of the violent nature of the movie.

Recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004, along with Elton John, Joan Sutherland, John Williams, and Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Premiere Magazine ranked him as #29 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).