Wes Bentley interview

American Beauty star Wes Bentley on this month's sassy screwball comedy Weirdsville

American Beauty star Wes Bentley, 29, talks about the pressures of fame, why he decided to quit Hollywood for three years and what made him return to our screens in this month's sassy screwball comedy Weirdsville.

Weirdsville is the first comedy you've done. Was that the attraction?

Yeah! I've never done a comedy on film. But as a kid, I loved Monty Python. My Dad was a devout watcher. We used to watch it when we ate dinner!

You've been away from the business for a while. Was it Weirdsville that got you back into it?

You're absolutely right. Without making a statement about it, essentially I quit – twice! After Four Feathers, I quit then because I just lost faith. I didn't like how the business was. I had been hurt by a couple of people I'd tried to stay faithful to. I was really loyal and they ended up being scoundrels and hurting not only me but people I loved.

So you didn't want family members dragged into this?

Yes. There's been an ugly rumour o-line about my wife [Jennifer Quanz], and how she is running my career and controlling it. She does her own thing and she respects my opinions. I think it's because I never chose a role that was really a love story, just because one never crossed my path that I really dug. It just hurt and I got scared it was going to hurt the people around me.

Was it difficult to cope with the success of American Beauty?

Now looking back, I admit that it was. While it was happening, I didn't want to think I would react like that but I don't think anyone can take that in a normal way. It was so overwhelming and I hid totally from it.

Is it easier now you're married?

Well, we married in 2001, but yes it is. Part of the problem was that… girls, in front of her, would talk about their fantasies or just totally disrespect her in front of other people. That hurts, man.

Weirdsville opens on November 16th.