Sean Penn
Acting
Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama Mystic River (2003) and the biopic Milk (2008).
Penn began his acting career in television, with a brief appearance in episode 112 of Little House on the Prairie on December 4, 1974, directed by his father Leo Penn. Following his film debut in the drama Taps (1981), and a diverse range of film roles in the 1980s, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and Bad Boys (1983), Penn garnered critical attention for his roles in the crime dramas At Close Range (1986), State of Grace (1990), and Carlito's Way (1993). He became known as a prominent leading actor with the drama Dead Man Walking (1995), for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination and the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin Film Festival. Penn received another two Oscar nominations for Woody Allen's comedy-drama Sweet and Lowdown (1999) and the drama 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 at the Cannes Film Festival for the Nick Cassavetes-directed She's So Lovely (1997), and two Volpi Cups for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for the indie film Hurlyburly (1998) and the drama 21 Grams (2003).
Penn made his feature film directorial debut with The Indian Runner (1991), followed by the drama film The Crossing Guard (1995) and the mystery film The Pledge (2001); all three were critically well received. Penn directed one of the 11 segments of 11'09"01 September 11 (2002), a compilation film made in response to the September 11 attacks. His fourth feature film, the biographical drama survival movie Into the Wild (2007), garnered critical acclaim and two Academy Award nominations.
In addition to his film work, Penn has engaged in political and social activism, including his criticism of the George W. Bush administration, his contact with the Presidents of Cuba and Venezuela, and his humanitarian work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Media of
Sean Penn
Photos (21)
Filmography of
Sean Penn
Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
... 2025
... 2025
Self - Director, Writer (archive footage)
... 2024
Clark
... 2024
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
... 2024
... 2024
Gene Rutkovsky
... 2024
... 2023
Self
... 2023
Jack Holden
... 2021
John Vogel
... 2021
Himself
... 2020
... 2020
Dr. William Chester Minor
... 2019
Man
... 2017
... 2017
Terence (voice)
... 2016
Jim Terrier
... 2015
... 2015
Himself (archive footage)
... 2015
... 2014
... 2014
Sean O'Connell
... 2013
Narrator
... 2013
Mickey Cohen
... 2013
Commie
... 2012
... 2012
... 2011
... 2011
Cheyenne
... 2011
Jack
... 2011
... 2011
Sean Penn (uncredited)
... 2010
Joseph Wilson
... 2010
Self
... 2009
Narrator
... 2009
Harvey Milk
... 2008
Self
... 2008
Himself (Narrator)
... 2008
... 2008
Self
... 2007
... 2006
Willie Stark
... 2006
Tobin Keller
... 2005
... 2004
Self(archive footage) (uncredited)
... 2004
... 2004
Samuel Bicke
... 2004
... 2004
... 2004
... 2003
Jimmy Markum
... 2003
Paul Rivers
... 2003
Self
... 2003
Sean Penn
... 2003
... 2003
... 2003
Marciello
... 2003
... 2003
... 2002
Self (uncredited)
... 2002
Narrator
... 2002
Sam Dawson
... 2001
Thomas Janes
... 2000
Cuco Sanchez
... 2000
"Groovin' Larry" Huff
... 2000
Rowley Flint
... 2000
Self
... 2000
Emmet Ray
... 1999
Sean Penn (uncredited)
... 1999
Eddie
... 1998
1st Sgt. Edward Welsh
... 1998
Strange Hitchhiker
... 1997
Man on the Hill (Michael)
... 1997
Bobby Cooper
... 1997
Conrad Van Orton
... 1997
Eddie Quinn
... 1997
Matthew Poncelet
... 1995
David Kleinfeld
... 1993
Self
... 1993
... 1993
... 1992
Terry
... 1990
Phil the Plumber (uncredited)
... 1990
Sgt. Tony Meserve
... 1989
Jim
... 1989
Guenther X
... 1988
Danny McGavin
... 1988
... 1987
Glendon Wasey
... 1986
Bradford "Brad" Whitewood Jr.
... 1986
Daulton Lee
... 1985
Henry 'Hopper' Nash
... 1984
Dillard
... 1984
Passenger in Car (uncredited)
... 1983
Buddy
... 1983
Mick O'Brien
... 1983
Jeff Spicoli
... 1982
Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer
... 1981
Groovin' Larry
... 1981
Don Fremont
... 1981
Bit Part (uncredited)
... 1981