abnervaught: 'Hunger Games' Star Wes Bentley's Beard 'Did Half The Work' For Him

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

'Hunger Games' Star Wes Bentley's Beard 'Did Half The Work' For Him

Bentley, who plays Seneca Crane, tells MTV News his beard 'took two hours to groom every day.'
By Kara Warner with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Wes Bentley
Photo: MTV News

For those of us who've been following the news surrounding all the comings and goings of the lucky "Hunger Games" castmembers, one of the most intriguing is Wes Bentley in the role of Seneca Crane. Not only does Bentley bring a sense of gravitas to the character, but as we've seen in the released photos, his costume and makeup design is especially interesting.

MTV News recently caught up with the "American Beauty" actor to discuss his pivotal role in the film and how much fun he had sporting that curiously shaped beard, which, sadly, he no longer has.

"I would have loved to have kept the beard but that beard took two hours to groom every day," Bentley said. "I don't want to spend that much time in the bathroom."

We then brought up the fact that the beard has caused quite a stir among fans, spawning its own Facebook page as well as our own tongue-in-cheek interview with the fancy fuzz.

"I saw that. I had no idea my beard was so clever," Bentley said of the interview, adding that he is flattered by all the attention the beard has received. "It's such a cool look. Ve Neill, the makeup designer, did such an amazing job. It's exciting that it's getting that kind of attention."

Bentley insisted that all the credit for the design of the beard goes to Neill, and that all he did was grow out everything as much as it could go.

"I usually come to set with a beard and my hair as long as I can get it so there are options. I saw Ve before we started shooting and she was excited I had a beard because she had something special in mind. It was all her. She went at it for like three hours trying to find the right shape; it was cool."

Bentley joked that having the peculiar design on his face did half of his acting work for him and that he sometimes wishes he kept it.

"The beard did half the work," he joked, later admitting that he got a few curious glances whenever he ventured out to run errands during filming.

"I did go into Target a few times late at night with the beard, because my son was there, it was a little odd buying baby formula with this beard and some of the makeup on."

What questions do you have for Wes Bentley's beard? Let us know in the comments section.

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