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Sean Penn

 
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Sean Penn, Actor / Filmmaker

Sean Penn
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  • Born: 17 August 1960
  • Birthplace: Burbank, California
  • Best Known As: The intense actor who won Oscars for Mystic River and Milk

Sean Penn's film performances have earned him a reputation for dramatic intensity, but to many filmgoers he will always be remembered as Jeff Spicoli, the teenage stoner from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Penn made his movie debut in 1981's Taps (alongside Tom Cruise) and became known as a serious dramatic actor during the '80s, in films such as Bad Boys (1983) and At Close Range (1986, with Christopher Walken). His marriage to Madonna (1985-89) thrust Penn further into the spotlight, and he went from being known as an intense young actor to being known as an intense young actor who punched photographers (he even spent a brief time in jail for assault in 1987). In the '90s Penn tried to give up acting in favor of writing and directing; he made The Indian Runner (1991) and two films starring Jack Nicholson: The Crossing Guard (1995) and The Pledge (2000). He returned to the screen in 1993 to co-star with Al Pacino in Carlito's Way, then starred in Dead Man Walking (1995) and earned an Oscar nomination. He went on to be nominated again for Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown (1999) and for I Am Sam (2001, with Dakota Fanning), and in 2004 he won his first Oscar as best actor for Mystic River (2003, co-starring Tim Robbins). He won a second best actor Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the Gus Van Sant film Milk (2008). Among his other films are 21 Grams (2003) and All The King's Men (2006).

Penn married actress Robin Wright in 1996. They have two children: a daughter Dylan (b. 1991) and a son Hopper Jack (b. 1993). Robin Wright Penn filed for divorce in August of 2009... Sean Penn's younger brother, Christopher Penn (1965-2006), was also a film actor. His older brother, Michael Penn (b. 1958), is a singer and songwriter.

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Sean Penn

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Quotes:

"You tolerate me, you really tolerate me. [Accepting his Independent Spirit Award]"

AMG AllMovie Guide:

Sean Penn

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Biography

Long the bad boy of Hollywood, Sean Penn is also among the most fiercely talented actors of his generation. He was born August 17, 1960, in Burbank, CA, the second son of actress Eileen Ryan and director Leo Penn. He grew up in Santa Monica, in a neighborhood populated by future celebrities Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, the sons of actor Martin Sheen. Penn's older brother, Michael, is a singer/songwriter-turned- director, while younger sibling Chris is a noted character actor. The children spent much of their free time together, making a number of amateur films shot with Super-8 cameras. Still, Penn's original intention was to attend law school, although he ultimately skipped college to join the Los Angeles Repertory Theater. After making his professional debut on an episode of television's Barnaby Jones, he relocated to New York, where he soon appeared in the play Heartland. A TV-movie, The Killing of Randy Webster, followed in 1981 before he made his feature debut later that same year in Taps.

Penn shot to stardom with 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High; as the stoned surfer dude Jeff Spicoli, he stole every scene in which he appeared, helping to elevate the picture into a classic of the teen comedy genre; however, the quirkiness which would define his career quickly surfaced as he turned down any number of Spicoli-like roles to star in the 1983 drama Bad Boys, followed a year later by the Louis Malle caper comedy Crackers and the period romance Racing With the Moon. While none of the pictures performed well at the box office, critics consistently praised Penn's depth as an actor. A turn as a drug addict turned government spy in John Schlesinger's 1985 political thriller The Falcon and the Snowman earned some of his best notices to date, but Penn's performance was quickly lost in the glare of the media attention surrounding his very public romance with pop singer Madonna, which culminated in the couple's 1985 media-circus wedding.

While Madonna actively courted press attention, the private Penn made his loathing for the media quite clear; his run-ins with the paparazzi quickly became the stuff of legend, and the notoriety of his temper began to eclipse even his immense acting ability. His penchant for fisticuffs, combined with other civil infractions, ultimately resulted in a 30-day jail sentence; more seriously, his marriage to Madonna began to buckle under the weight of media scrutiny, and, as the couple's star collaboration in the 1987 movie Shanghai Surprise met with box-office disaster, their private relationship was also over. Soured by the Hollywood experience, Penn did not resurface prior to 1988's Colors, which proved to be his biggest hit in some time. He next appeared in Brian DePalma's Vietnam tale Casualties of War, followed by a turn opposite his idol, Robert De Niro, in the 1989 comedy We're No Angels.

After starring in the gangster melodrama State of Grace, Penn wrote and directed 1991's The Indian Runner, a film inspired by a Bruce Springsteen song and shaped in the image of the films of John Cassavetes. After an almost unrecognizable turn as a troubled attorney in the 1993 DePalma thriller Carlito's Way, Penn announced his intention to retire from acting in order to focus his full attentions on directing; however, after helming 1995's The Crossing Guard with Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston, he was back onscreen, winning an Academy Award nomination for his gut-wrenching portrayal of a death-row inmate in Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking. By 1997, Penn's wishes for retirement were but a memory as he enjoyed his busiest year yet: In addition to starring opposite second wife Robin Wright in Nick Cassavetes' She's So Lovely -- roles which won both spouses acting honors at the Cannes Film Festival -- he also appeared in the David Fincher thriller The Game and in Oliver Stone's U-Turn. He found further acclaim the following year for his roles in the adaptation of David Rabe's Hurlyburly and Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line. In 1999, he had a cameo appearance in Spike Jonze's Being John Malkovich and earned his second Oscar nomination as a callous '30s jazz guitarist in Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, while 2000s adaptation of Anita Shreve's novel, The Weight of Water, starred Penn as a poet embroiled in a small town murder mystery. In 2001, Penn would play a fame-craving impressionist in The Beaver Trilogy, serve as narrator in director Stacy Peralta's skateboarding documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, and direct the psychological drama The Pledge, which marked Penn's second collaboration with Jack Nicholson. In 2002, Penn would once again win critical praise with his Oscar-nominated portrayal of a developmentally disabled man struggling to retain custody of his daughter in I Am Sam.

After the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the left-leaning actor's outspoken political views garnered a great deal of attention from right-wing pundits, including the much aggrieved Bill O'Reilly, who found himself on the receiving end of Penn's animosity in a controversial interview with Talk magazine. Though O'Reilly demanded his viewers boycott any of Penn's future films, it appears his career has remained relatively unscathed. In 2002, Penn directed a segment for the French-produced 9'11"01, which was met with mixed reviews, while his participation in Burkowski: Born Into This (2002) helped the film win a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

The year 2003 was, in fact, an eventful year for Penn; he participated in two small but nonetheless critically acclaimed films -- Michael Almereyda's documentary This So-Called Disaster and Alejandro González Iñárritu's low-key urban drama 21 Grams -- while managing to claim yet another Hollywood success in actor/director Clint Eastwood's highly lauded Mystic River. In 2004, it was this third film that garnered Penn his fourth Academy Award nomination and, ultimately, his first win. The Oscar, coupled with a standing ovation by the audience, showed once and for all that Penn's unorthodox approach to his acting career hadn't had an adverse effect on his popularity.

The following year Penn would return to the screen to document one man's chilling descent into madness in the fact-based psychological drama The Assassination of Richard Nixon, but despite generally favorable reaction from critics the grim feature failed to make much of an impression at the box office. Subsequently sticking to politics with Sydney Pollock's 2005 thriller The Interpreter, Penn would this time find his character attempting to prevent the assassination of a high profile political leader rather than personally carry one out. By the time Penn essayed the role of a populist Southern politician modeled loosely on Depression-era Louisiana governer Huey Long, it seemed as if the serious-minded actor's career had finally become as political as the boat-rocking rhetoric that often found him sailing into the headlines. The third screen adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's influential novel, All the King's Men featured an impressive list of top-name Hollywood talent including Jude Law, Kate Winslett, Anthony Hopkins, Patricia Clarkson, James Gandolfini, and Mark Ruffalo. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Sean Penn
Penn at the premiere for Milk at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco, October 2008
Ambassador-at-large for Haiti
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 31, 2012
President Michel Martelly
Personal details
Born Sean Justin Penn
August 17, 1960 (1960-08-17) (age 51)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Spouse(s) Madonna (1985–1989)
Robin Wright (1996–2010)
Occupation Actor, screenwriter, director, producer

Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American humanitarian, actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism. He is a two-time Academy Award winner for his roles in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008), as well as the recipient of a Golden Globe Award for the former and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the latter.

Penn began his acting career in television with a brief appearance in a 1974 episode of Little House on the Prairie, directed by his father Leo Penn. Following his film debut in 1981's Taps and a diverse range of film roles in the 1980s, including a memorable role as surfing enthusiast Jeff Spicoli in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Penn subsequently emerged as a prominent leading actor with the 1995 drama film Dead Man Walking, for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination and the Best Actor Award at the Berlin Film Festival. Penn subsequently received another two Oscar nominations for Sweet and Lowdown (1999) and I Am Sam (2001), before winning his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 for Mystic River and a second one in 2008 for Milk. He has also won a Best Actor Award of the Cannes Film Festival for She's So Lovely (1997), and two Best Actor Awards at the Venice Film Festival for Hurlyburly (1998) and 21 Grams (2003).

Penn made his feature film directorial debut with 1991's The Indian Runner, followed by the drama film The Crossing Guard (1995) and the mystery film The Pledge (2001). In 2002, Penn directed one of the 11 segments of 11'09"01 September 11, a compilation film made in response to the September 11 attacks. In 2007, Penn directed his fourth feature film Into the Wild, which garnered critical acclaim and two Academy Award nominations.

In addition to his film work, Penn is known for his political and social activism, most notably his criticism of the George W. Bush administration, his contact with the Presidents of Venezuela and Cuba, and his humanitarian work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Penn also attracted media attention for his previous marriages to pop icon Madonna and actress Robin Wright.

Contents

Early life

Penn was born in Los Angeles County, California,[1] the middle son of actor and director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan (née Annucci). His older brother is musician Michael Penn. His younger brother, actor Chris Penn, died in 2006. His paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Lithuania and Russia,[2][3][4] while his mother is a Catholic of Italian and Irish descent.[4][5] Penn was raised in a secular home[2] and is an agnostic.[6] He attended Santa Monica High School[7] and began making short films with some of his childhood friends, including actors Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, who lived near his home.[8]

Career

Acting

Penn appeared in a 1974 episode of the Little House on the Prairie television series as a then blond-haired extra when his father, Leo, directed some of the episodes.

Penn launched his film career with the 1981 action-drama Taps, where he played a key role, as a military high school cadet, opposite protagonist Timothy Hutton.[8] Tom Cruise also made one of his first film appearances, as another cadet. A year later, Penn appeared in the hit comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, in the role of surfer-stoner Jeff Spicoli, with his character helping popularize the word "dude" in popular culture.[8] In 1983, Penn appeared as Mick O'Brien, a troubled youth, in the drama Bad Boys.[8] The role earned Penn favorable reviews and jump-started his career as a serious actor.

In 1985, Penn played Andrew Daulton Lee in the film The Falcon and the Snowman, which closely followed an actual criminal case.[8] Lee was a former drug dealer by trade, convicted of espionage for the Soviet Union and originally sentenced to life in prison, later being paroled in 1998. Penn later hired Lee as his personal assistant, partly because he wanted to reward Lee for allowing him to play Lee in the film; also, he was a firm believer in rehabilitation and thought Andrew Lee should be successfully reintegrated into society, since he was a free man again.[9]

In 1986, he starred in the drama At Close Range, opposite Christopher Walken.[8] The film featured his then-wife Madonna's single "Live to Tell". The music video for the song, which featured clips from the film, played heavily on MTV and helped promote the film. Penn stopped acting for a few years in the early 1990s, having been dissatisfied with the industry, and focused on making his directing debut.[8]

Penn, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor five times, has won the award twice. The Academy first recognized his work in nominating him for playing a racist murderer on death row in Tim Robbins' 1995 drama Dead Man Walking. Penn was nominated again for his comedic performance as an egotistical jazz guitarist in Woody Allen's 1999 release Sweet and Lowdown. He received his third nomination after portraying a mentally-handicapped father in 2001's I am Sam. Penn finally won for his role in Clint Eastwood's 2003 Boston crime-drama Mystic River. In 2004, he played a disturbed man bent on killing the president in The Assassination of Richard Nixon. He was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2004.[10]

In 2006, he portrayed populist governor Willie Stark (based on Huey Long) in an adaptation of the classic American novel All the King's Men, though the film was a critical and commercial failure. In November 2008, Penn earned rave reviews for his portrayal of real-life gay-rights icon and politician Harvey Milk in the biopic Milk and was nominated for best actor for the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards.[11] The film also earned Penn his fifth nomination and second win for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2010 he starred as Joseph Wilson in Fair Game, a film adaptation of Valerie Plame's 2007 memoir. Penn co-starred with Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain in the drama The Tree of Life which won the Palme d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Directing

In 1991, Penn made his directorial debut with The Indian Runner, a film based on Bruce Springsteen's song "Highway Patrolman", from the Nebraska album.[8] He also directed music videos, such as Shania Twain's "Dance with the One That Brought You" and Lyle Lovett's "North Dakota" in 1993, and Peter Gabriel's "The Barry Williams Show" in 2002. He has since directed three more films, all of which[citation needed] were well-received by critics: The Crossing Guard in 1995, The Pledge in 2001, and Into the Wild in 2007.

Personal life

Penn with Robin Wright in 2006

Penn was engaged to actress Elizabeth McGovern, his co-star in 1984's Racing with the Moon. Penn's personal life began to attract media attention when he married pop star Madonna in 1985. The two starred in the panned and much-derided Shanghai Surprise, directed by Jim Goddard, and Madonna dedicated her third studio album True Blue to Penn, referring to him in the liner notes as "the coolest guy in the universe".[12] The relationship was marred by violent outbursts against the press, including one incident for which he was arrested for assaulting a photographer on a film set; Penn was sentenced to 60 days in jail in mid-1987, of which he served 33 days.[13] It is also alleged that when Penn discovered the paparazzo in his hotel room, he hung him by his ankles from the ninth-floor balcony.[14] Later in the marriage, Penn was charged with felony domestic assault, a charge for which he pleaded to a misdemeanor.[15] Penn and Madonna divorced in 1989.

He soon began a relationship with actress Robin Wright, and their first child – a daughter named Dylan Frances – was born in 1991. Their second child, a son whom they named Hopper Jack, was born in 1993. Penn and Wright married in 1996 and lived in Ross, California. The relationship went through on-and-off periods in the late 2000s (decade).[citation needed] The couple filed for divorce in December 2007, but reconciled several months later, requesting a court dismissal of their divorce case.[16] In April 2009, Penn filed for legal separation, only to withdraw the case once again when the couple reconciled in May.[17][18][19] On August 12, 2009, Wright Penn filed for divorce again.[20][21] The couple's divorce was finalized on July 22, 2010, with the couple reaching a private agreement on child and spousal support, division of assets, and custody over their underage son.[22]

During a separation from Wright in the mid-1990s, Penn dated singer and songwriter Jewel. He was also the director of the original video for Jewel's hit song "You Were Meant for Me".[23][dead link]

Political and social causes

Penn has been active in supporting several political and social causes. On June 10, 2005, Penn made a visit to Iran. Acting as a journalist on an assignment for the San Francisco Chronicle, he attended a Friday prayer at Tehran University.[24]

On January 7, 2006, Penn was a special guest at the Progressive Democrats of America, where he was joined by author and media critic Norman Solomon, Democratic congressional candidate Charles Brown, and activist Cindy Sheehan. The "Out of Iraq Forum", which took place in Sacramento, California, was organized to promote the anti-war movement calling for an end to the War in Iraq.

In August 2008, Penn made an appearance at one of Ralph Nader's "Open the Debates" Super Rallies. He protested the political exclusion of Nader and other third parties.[25]

In October 2008, Penn traveled to Cuba, where he met with and interviewed President Raúl Castro.[26]

Criticism of President Bush

Penn at an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C.

On October 18, 2002, Penn placed a US$56,000 advertisement in the Washington Post asking then President George W. Bush to end a cycle of violence. It was written as an open letter and referred to the planned attack on Iraq and the War on Terror.[27] In the letter, Penn also criticized the Bush administration for its "deconstruction of civil liberties" and its "simplistic and inflammatory view of good and evil."[28] Penn visited Iraq briefly in December 2002.[27]

This advertisement was cited as a primary reason for the development of his relationship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. In one of his televised speeches, Chávez used and read aloud an open letter Penn wrote to Bush.[14] The letter condemned the Iraq War, called for Bush to be impeached, and also called Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "villainously and criminally obscene people.".[29] In August 2007, Penn met with Chávez in Caracas for two hours, after which Chávez praised him for urging Americans to impeach Bush. Penn also visited a new film studio on the outskirts of Caracas, though he did not speak publicly.[29]

On April 19, 2007, Penn appeared on The Colbert Report and had a "Meta-Free-Phor-All" versus Stephen Colbert that was judged by Robert Pinsky. This stemmed from some of Penn's criticisms of Bush. His exact quote was "We cower as you point your fingers telling us to support our troops. You and the smarmy pundits in your pocket– those who bathe in the moisture of your soiled and blood-soaked underwear– can take that noise and shove it."[30][31] He won the contest with 10,000,000 points to Colbert's 1.[32]

On December 7, 2007, Penn said he supported Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich for U.S. President in 2008, and criticized Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Penn questioned whether Bush's twin daughters supported the war in Iraq.[33]

Hurricane Katrina

In September 2005, Penn traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, to aid Hurricane Katrina victims. He was physically involved in rescuing people,[34] although there was criticism that his involvement was a PR stunt as he hired a photographer to come along with his entourage.[35] Penn denied such accusation in an article he wrote for The Huffington Post.[36]

Director Spike Lee interviewed Penn for his documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, about Hurricane Katrina.

LGBT civil rights

Filming Milk, 2008

On February 22, 2009, Penn received the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film Milk. In his acceptance speech, Penn said " … I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone!"[37]

2010 Haiti earthquake: Manager of Relief Organization and Tent Camp

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Sean Penn co-founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization and has been running a 55,000 person tent camp.[38]

Due to his visibility as an on-the-ground advocate for rescue and aid efforts in the aftermath, Penn was designated by president Michel Martelly as Ambassador-at-Large for Haiti, the first time that a non-Haitian citizen has been designated as such in the country's history. Penn received the designation on 31 January, 2012[39].

Filmography and awards

On December 18, 2006, Penn received the Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award from the Creative Coalition.[40]

Actor

Year Film Role Notes
1981 Taps Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer film debut
1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Jeff Spicoli
1983 Summerspell Buddy
Bad Boys Michael O'Brien
1984 Crackers Dillard
Racing with the Moon Henry 'Hopper' Nash/Lou
1985 The Falcon and the Snowman Daulton Lee
1986 At Close Range Brad Whitewood Jr.
Shanghai Surprise Glendon Wasey
1987 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Narrator
1988 Cool Blue Phil the Plumber uncredited[41]
Colors Officer Danny McGavin
Judgment in Berlin Guenther X
1989 Casualties of War Sgt. Tony Meserve
We're No Angels Jim
1990 State of Grace Terry Noonan
1991 Schneeweißrosenrot Himself documentary
1992 Cruise Control Jeffrey short subject
1993 The Last Party Himself documentary
Carlito's Way David Kleinfeld Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1995 Dead Man Walking Matthew Poncelet Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor
Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
Silver Bear for Best Actor[42]
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
1997 Loved Man on the Hill (Michael)
She's So Lovely Eddie Quinn Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor[43]
U Turn Bobby Cooper
The Game Conrad Van Orton
Hugo Pool Strange Hitchhiker
1998 Hurlyburly Eddie Volpi Cup
Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
The Thin Red Line 1st Sgt. Welsh
1999 Being John Malkovich Himself uncredited
Sweet and Lowdown Emmett Ray Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2000 A Constant Forge Himself documentary
Up at the Villa Rowley Flint
Before Night Falls Cuco Sánchez
The Weight of Water Thomas Janes
2001 Dogtown and Z-Boys Narrator documentary
The Beaver Trilogy Groovin' Larry (segment Beaver Kid 2)
Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool Himself documentary
See How They Run Himself documentary
I Am Sam Sam Dawson Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
2003 It's All About Love Marciello
Mystic River Jimmy Markum Academy Award for Best Actor
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (also for 21 Grams)
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor (also for 21 Grams)
London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (also for 21 Grams)
Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama (also for 21 Grams)
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated – Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
21 Grams Paul Rivers Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (also for Mystic River)
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor (also for Mystic River)
National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (also for Mystic River)
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama (also for Mystic River)
Volpi Cup
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
2004 The Assassination of Richard Nixon Samuel J. Bicke Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
2005 The Interpreter Tobin Keller
2006 All the King's Men Willie Stark
2007 Persepolis Marjane's father English dub; voice only
War Made Easy[44] Narrator documentary
2008 Milk Harvey Milk Academy Award for Best Actor
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (tied with Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Actor
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Actor
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Southeastern Film Critics Award for Best Actor
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male
Nominated – Irish Film Award People's Choice Award for Best International Actor
Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Witch Hunt Narrator and Executive Producer documentary
2010 Fair Game Joseph Wilson
2011 The Tree of Life Adult Jack
This Must Be the Place Cheyenne
2013 The Gangster Squad Mickey Cohen Filming

Director

Year Film Notes
1991 The Indian Runner Also writer, Nominated – Locarno International Film Festival Golden Leopard
1995 The Crossing Guard Also writer, Nominated – Golden Lion
2001 The Pledge Nominated – Golden Bear
Nominated – Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film
Nominated – Palme d'Or
2002 11'9"01 September 11 anthology short, segment "U.S.A."
UNESCO Award
Nominated – César Award for Best Film from the European Union
2007 Into the Wild Also writer, Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Director
Rome Film Fest Premiere Prize
São Paulo International Film Festival Best Foreign Language Film
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Nominated – BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Writer
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Best Director – Motion Picture
Nominated – Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Foreign Film – English Language
Nominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

References

  1. ^ "California Births, 1905–1995". Familytreelegends.com. August 17, 1960. http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/calbirths?c=search&first=sean&last=penn&spelling=Exact&4_year=1960&4_month=0&4_day=0&5=&7=&SubmitSearch.x=65&SubmitSearch.y=34&SubmitSearch=Submit. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  2. ^ a b Jews Flop in Big Oscar Award Wins. Jewish Journal.com. March 5, 2004.
  3. ^ Sean Penn Genealogy.
  4. ^ a b Kelly, Richard T. (2004). Sean Penn: His Life and Times. Canongate Books. pp. 9–10. ISBN 1841956236. 
  5. ^ According to Penn's mother, Leo Penn may have had distant Sephardic Jewish ancestry, as his family's surname was originally "Piñón".
  6. ^ "Sean Penn — Celebrity Atheist List". Celebatheists.com. October 30, 2006. http://www.celebatheists.com/?title=Sean_Penn. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  7. ^ Abramowitz, Rachel (January 6, 2002). "Don't Get Him Started". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/06/entertainment/ca-abram6. Retrieved May 23, 2010. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Stated on Inside the Actors Studio, 1999
  9. ^ When Sean's having fun, it's hard to imagine having more fun. Guardian Unlimited. April 8, 2005.
  10. ^ "Academy Invites 127 to Membership" (Press release). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. June 28, 2004. Archived from the original on June 30, 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20040630082206/http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2004/04.06.28.html. 
  11. ^ Maxwell, Erin (December 3, 2008). "Spirit Award nominees announced". work. http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117996677.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  12. ^ "Madonna's love history". The Daily Telegraph (UK). October 15, 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3200314/Madonnas-love-history.html. Retrieved April 14, 2011. 
  13. ^ Ciccone, Christopher (2008). Life with My Sister Madonna, Simon & Schuster, pp. 144–150. ISBN 1-4165-8762-4.
  14. ^ a b Somaiya, Ravi. Mister Congeniality. The Times. December 27, 2007.
  15. ^ "Sean Penn to be charged with battery, vandalism; could land actor in jail for year and a half". New York Daily News. February 19, 2010. http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-02-19/gossip/27056734_1_jail-land-actor-battery-and-vandalism. Retrieved April 14, 2011. 
  16. ^ White, Nicholas (December 27, 2007). "Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn Divorcing". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20168386,00.html. Retrieved September 16, 2009. 
  17. ^ "Sean Penn Files for Legal Separation". People. April 29, 2009. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20275612,00.html. Retrieved September 16, 2009. 
  18. ^ Reaney, Patricia (April 9, 2008). "Sean Penn, wife Robin end divorce proceeding". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN0938785620080409. 
  19. ^ "Sean Penn withdraws separation filing". San Francisco Chronicle. 209-05-21. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/21/state/n174007D40.DTL&type=newsbayarea. 
  20. ^ Lee, Ken (August 18, 2009). "Robin Wright Penn Files for Divorce". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20298679,00.html. Retrieved September 16, 2009. 
  21. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (August 17, 2009). "Robin Wright Penn Relishes Her New Independence". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20298368,00.html. Retrieved September 16, 2009. 
  22. ^ Oh, Eunice (August 4, 2010). "Sean Penn and Robin Wright Finalize Their Divorce". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20407832,00.html. Retrieved August 5, 2010. 
  23. ^ "Sean Penn Biography". Yuddy.com. http://www.yuddy.com/celebrity/sean%20penn/bio. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  24. ^ Penn, Sean. Sean Penn in Iran. San Francisco Chronicle. August 23, 2005.
  25. ^ "Sean Penn, Val Kilmer, Tom Morello, Cindy Sheehan at Nader/Gonzalez Super Rally in Denver — Ralph Nader for President in 2008". Votenader.org. August 19, 2008. http://www.votenader.org/media/2008/08/19/DenverRally3/. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  26. ^ Lacey, Marc (November 26, 2008). "Sean Penn Interviews Raúl Castro". The New York Times. http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/sean-penn-interviews-raul-castro/. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  27. ^ a b Bowles, Scott (September 18, 2006). Sean Penn plays politics. USA Today.
  28. ^ "Sean Penn Letter to Washington Post". Snopes. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/penn.asp. Retrieved January 23, 2009. 
  29. ^ a b James, Ian. Sean Penn Praised by Venezuela's Chavez. Breitbart.com. August 2, 2007.
  30. ^ "Sean Penn Unloads on Pres. Bush". FOX News. March 27, 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,261587,00.html. 
  31. ^ "Metaphor Alert". New York Post. March 27, 2007. http://www.nypost.com/seven/03272007/gossip/pagesix/metaphor_alert_pagesix_.htm. 
  32. ^ "Stephen Colbert vs Sean Penn". Crooks and Liars. March 27, 2007. http://crooksandliars.com/2007/04/21/stephen-colbert-vs-sean-penn/. 
  33. ^ An Open Letter to the President...Four and a Half Years Later Huffington Post.com. March 24, 2007.
  34. ^ Many celebrities have helped with New Orleans recovery efforts. International Herald Tribune. December 14, 2007.
  35. ^ Penn's rescue attempt springs a leak. The Sydney Morning Herald. September 5, 2005.
  36. ^ Penn, Sean (November 30, 2008). "Mountain of Snakes". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-penn/mountain-of-snakes_b_146765.html. Retrieved November 28, 2010. 
  37. ^ Post Reply (February 22, 2009). "Sean Penn Oscar Speech". Mahalo.com. http://www.mahalo.com/sean-penn-oscar-speech. Retrieved February 22, 2011. 
  38. ^ "Haitian Relief Organization". Jphro.org. http://jphro.org/. Retrieved February 22, 2011. 
  39. ^ "Haiti names Sean Penn "ambassador at large"". CBS News. 31 January 2012. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57369387/haiti-names-sean-penn-ambassador-at-large/. 
  40. ^ The Creative Coalition Announces Presenters for 2006 Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award and 2006 Spotlight Awards. The Creative Coalition. December 2006.
  41. ^ Kelly, Richard T. (2005). Sean Penn: His Life and Times. Canongate U.S.. p. 219. ISBN 1841957399. http://books.google.com/books?id=gBb3v9GZMPQC&pg=PA219&dq=%22sean+penn%22+%22cool+blue. 
  42. ^ "Berlinale: 1996 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1996/03_preistr_ger_1996/03_Preistraeger_1996.html. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  43. ^ "Festival de Cannes: She's So Lovely". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/4809/year/1997.html. Retrieved September 23, 2009. 
  44. ^ War Made Easy

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