Annette Bening pays tribute to her ‘incredibly brilliant’ trans son

The Kids Are All Right star, Annette Bening has paid tribute to her son, Stephen, calling him an ‘inspiration,” who is “incredibly brilliant.”

Bening is also known for her roles in Captain Marvel and American Beauty. Her son Stephen has identified as trans since he was 14.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bening, 65, was asked about her focus on defending LGBTQ rights and how that came about.

She said she was inspired as the political right became more vocal on the subject, spreading misinformation and “rampant” transphobia. It’s a situation she described as “heartbreaking.”

Approaching the topic of her son, Bening who usually keeps such issues private, said: “To love your child so much is the greatest way to learn about what trans people are all about.

“I get to say this because I’m the mother: My son is incredibly brilliant.”

Bening, who has three other children with husband Warren Beatty, goes on to describe Stephen, a poet and writer, as someone “I do admire, and I’ve learned a lot from.”

She admits to having been ignorant about what it meant to be trans beforehand, but in wanting to protect her son she had educated herself.

“I didn’t always know what to do, and I didn’t always make the right choices because of my own ignorance, but we got through it.”

The actress also proved that anyone can be educated on these issues. She highlighted her 94-year-old Republican mother who has recognised Stephen’s transition.

In 2019, Bening said she was “very proud” of Stephen for his journey through his transition.