Inside Hollywood's Legendary Casanova Warren Beatty's Marriage

The legendary actor peeled back the curtain on his life, revealing secrets of late-blooming sexuality, a crippling fear of death, and the quiet power of love that ultimately brought him to his knees.

Once known as one of Hollywood’s most prolific womanizers, Warren Beatty laid bare a life of startling contradictions in a series of 2016 interviews, sharing revelations about losing his virginity late, grappling with the shadow of death, and the surprising yet enduring 33-year-long marriage that would ultimately define him.

The candid reflections chart a stunning transformation from a man who reportedly slept with more than 12,000 women to giving his heart to only one and becoming a devoted father of four.

His Virginity and Staggering Conquests

In a revealing sit-down with GQ on November 16, 2016, the man once linked to many major female stars of the 20th century dropped a bombshell about how he lost his virginity, far later than the world ever imagined.

"Despite what happened to me afterward," he admitted during a phone call before the GQ interviewer went to his house. "I delayed the unspeakable act until I was almost 20."

It's a stunning admission when placed alongside the jaw-dropping claim in Peter Biskind's 2010 biography "Star," which alleges that Beatty was intimately involved with approximately 12,775 women.

Reportedly, among them were Jane Fonda, Julie Christie, Carly Simon, Twiggy, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Joni Mitchell, Madonna, and Jackie Onassis — a literal who's who of icons.

Cher has claimed she was with him at just 16, and Joan Collins once revealed he would take phone calls while they were in bed. Still, Beatty told GQ he remained on "good terms" with those he had been involved with seriously.

Additionally, the actor expressed regret that he had not settled down sooner and had children before the age of 53. At the same time, he acknowledged that doing so might have led to regrets of a different kind, such as several divorces. "And more importantly, it wouldn't have been these kids or this wife," he added.

Haunted by Death

While his passionate pursuits became Hollywood legend, there was something darker driving the behavior. According to James Toback, writer of "Bugsy," Beatty was afraid of his own death and couldn't bear being reminded of it.

He said the star fought against mortality by seeking intimacy with as many people as possible, as if each conquest could keep the Grim Reaper at bay.

But it was one woman, Annette Bening, who eased those worries and stole his heart. And it all began over garlic chicken!

The Lunch That Changed His Life Forever

In a 2016 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Beatty recounted the moment he met Bening, who was being considered for the role of Virginia Hill in "Bugsy."

"I remember losing interest in the garlic chicken I was eating within 20 seconds. And the garlic chicken had been very good!" he laughed.

Even though he instantly knew she was right for the part — and perhaps more — Beatty stood firm on a self-imposed rule not to date her.

"So after lunch, I said, 'I want you to know that I will not be hitting on you during the movie.' And she said, 'I didn't ask…'" he recalled.

According to Beatty, they kept things entirely professional throughout filming. But once "Bugsy" wrapped, he took a chance and asked her to dinner. She hesitated, then said yes. The rest is history.

The Serial Seducer Turned Sentimental Husband

Their first child, Stephen, was born in January 1992, just a month after the "Bugsy" premiere. Marriage followed shortly after.

Bening told GQ that they went to the judge's office quietly. She wore an old, flowered dress, and when the ceremony was over, they simply went home.

When asked who had proposed, the actress said, "There wasn't like one moment where one of us said, 'Will you marry me?' It just seems like it was something we were going to do, and then we did it."

Together, they had three more children: Benjamin, Isabel, and Ella.

When asked about his professional legacy, Beatty made it clear that nothing in his career could compare to the life he built with his family. His wife and kids, he said, were far more important.

"Each kid is to me more fascinating than any five movies. You know, the DNA of it all kind of does get to me," he said.

In a September 2016 interview with AARP, he echoed the sentiment. "DNA becomes more relevant as we get older," he said, calling his children the best part of his life.

The Lasting Bond

During that same AARP interview, Beatty reflected on the seismic shift that Bening brought into his life, even quoting a famous play to describe marrying at 54.

"When you don't get married until you're 54…well, as Arthur Miller said, 'it comes with the territory,' " he expressed, referring to "Death of a Salesman." He then quoted the play, "A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory."

Bening, too, offered rare insights into their relationship. Though she noted that Beatty could be private, she praised his deep connection with others and his unwavering curiosity.

As for what life was like with him at home following his retirement? The actress jokingly shared at the time that she hoped he would make a new movie soon.

"But like other people at his level of talent, he does it when he's ready. And no one's saying anything made a difference, including me," she added wryly.

Still Full of Surprises After All These Years

At the world premiere of Beatty's 2016 film "Rules Don't Apply," which also featured Bening — their fourth collaboration since "Bugsy" — he revealed the secret to their enduring romance.

"Every day she surprises me," he told People.

Bening didn't miss a beat, agreeing to the same. "Definitely he surprises me — absolutely. He does the unexpected thing," she said.

For a man once defined by countless lovers, his transformation from notorious womanizer to steadfast soulmate may be the most profound and unexpected of all, still enchanted by the same woman, even decades later.