Who Is Jacqui Swedberg? Meet 'Yellowstone' Star Wes Bentley's Wife
The Hunger Games star Wes Bentley has seen his career take off as of late, especially with the success of Yellowstone. With series lead Kevin Costner on the outs, things are shaping up behind the scenes to give bigger roles to the rest of the cast if Season 6 goes ahead – which could mean an even bigger break for Wes.
While his on screen character in the show, Jamie Dutton, is cynical and only motivated by power, Wes himself credits his family with keeping him going – especially his wife, producer and former actress Jacqui Swedberg.
Who Is Jacqui Swedberg?
Jacqui is a former actress, known for her performance in the 2011 film Martha Marcy May Marlene, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female nomination.
She’s made appearances in several other films throughout the early 2010s, including Compliance (2012), The Sacrament (2013), and The Invitation (2015) and boasts television credits, as well, including The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, and The OA.
How Did Jacqui Swedberg and Wes Bentley Meet?
Wes met his wife while filming a movie in Canada. “She worked on Corner Gas as an associate producer, and I went up there to shoot a movie called Dolan’s Cadillac,” he explained in an interview with Canadian broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos.
“We had a mutual friend, a publicist … she invited us all to an Iron Maiden concert, and I fell in love in that moment,” the American Beauty actor added.
He can even remember the exact song that was playing when he realized she was the one: “It was ‘Run to the Hills!’”
Apparently Jacqui saw the same in Wes, as the two tied the knot in 2010.
“I just knew that I’d never met someone like her,” he told Elle in 2013.
“I love that she’s unexpected. You can’t ever predict what she’ll say next. She’s also very smart, a great writer and an amazing mother.”
Do Jacqui Swedberg and Wes Bentley Have Any Children?
The same year they married, Jacqui and Wes welcomed their first child, a son, Charles. They added a daughter to their family, Brooklyn, in 2014.
The Interstellar actor, who has been open about his struggles with drug addiction in the past, says his family has become his north star whenever the pressures of fame threaten to capsize him.
“Anytime I lose my head or feel stressful,” the Arkansas native said, “I remember I’m doing this for my kids and think about them. It lightens my heart.”
Wes Bentley Credits Jacqui Swedberg With His Sobriety
Wes found startlingly sudden success with 1999’s American Beauty. However, the young actor also found that with success comes temptation, and from the early 2000s until he met his wife in at the end of the decade, he battled demons starting with occasional marijuana use, which quickly grew to include cocaine, pills and finally heroin.
“At 20, I was too young and too unprepared for stardom. I took myself too seriously,” he said of his career, which dipped shortly after his breakthrough role. Wes told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2013 that he missed opportunities to work with the likes of Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, Ang Lee and Tony Scott due to his addiction.
He credits Jacqui with helping him stay clean since 2010 and rebuild his career, telling Elle, ““I’ve gotten through it because of my wife. Through her, I thought, ‘There’s so much more to life.’”