"I don't see myself as competing with other actresses. I mean, I went through a time when I was in New York, and I was going to lots of auditions and trying to get parts, but even then, you're not really competing with the other actresses. There is a competition going on, but it's not like something you can win in that way"

In this quote, Annette Bening is revealing her perspective on the acting market and how she views competition amongst actresses. She mentions that although she has gone through a duration of auditioning and attempting to protect roles, she does not see herself as straight competing with other starlets. Bening thinks that while there might be a sense of competition in the industry, it is not a traditional competitors where one can come out as a clear winner. Rather, she sees it as a continuous procedure of attempting to protect roles and opportunities, but not necessarily versus other actresses. Bening's viewpoint highlights the distinct and unforeseeable nature of the acting market.