Wes Bentley was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the son of Cherie and David Bentley, who are United Methodist ministers. He grew up in Mountain Home and later in Sherwood. He was active in music and drama growing up, and found success on the stage while attending Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood, Arkansas. In nearby Little Rock he appeared in productions as varied as “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “La cage aux folles” before briefly attending the prestigious Juilliard School of Drama in New York City. The talented actor left the school to pursue work in features, first starring in the indie film “Three Below Zero” (with future “Grey’s Anatomy” star Kate Walsh) and then in a small role in the Oprah Winfrey-starring Toni Morrison adaptation “Beloved.”

Ultimately it was “American Beauty” that brought Bentley to the attention of America. As a drug-addled teen living under an oppressive, ex-military father (Chris Cooper, Bentley found emotional resonance with a character that easily could have descended into cliché. The film went on to win Oscars for Best Picture and Director (Sam Mendes), and for its star Kevin Spacey.

Since “American Beauty” Bentley has starred in Michael Winterbottom’s underrated “The Claim,” the teen horror romp “Soul Survivors,” and Shekhar Kapur’s gorgeous historical epic “The Four Feathers” alongside Kate Hudsonand Heath Ledger He also played the son of Satan in “Ghost Rider,” causing major drama for stars Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes

He took part in Tony Zierra's 2008 documentary My Big Break, which follows the early careers of Bentley, Chad Lindberg, Brad Rowe and Greg Fawcett.

He has been married to Jennifer Quanz since September 2001.