Sean Penn
Acting
🎂 1960-08-17
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.
Cast credits(136)
Self
2015
Self
2007
Sean Penn (voice)
1999
Himself
2003
1997
Sean Penn
2000
1974
Eric
1994
Self
2005
Self
2003
Self - Presenter
1944
Self
2019
Self - Host
1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
1975
Self
1965
Self
2003
Self
1999
Self
1953
Self - Actor and Founder of CORE
2025
Self
2006
John Mitchell
2022
Self
2008
Self
2005
2003
Tom Haggerty
2018
2018
Self
1999
Terence (voice)
2016
Sean O'Connell
2013
Conrad Van Orton
1997
Jack Holden
2021
David Kleinfeld
1993
Jimmy Markum
2003
Self
1994
Mickey Cohen
2013
Clark
2024
Passenger in Car (uncredited)
1983
Sean Penn (uncredited)
1999
Jack
2011
Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
2025
Sam Dawson
2001
1st Sgt. Edward Welsh
1998
Jeff Spicoli
1982
Harvey Milk
2008
Paul Rivers
2003
Tobin Keller
2005
Mick O'Brien
1983
Sgt. Tony Meserve
1989
Matthew Poncelet
1995
Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer
1981
Danny McGavin
1988
Dr. William Chester Minor
2019
Bradford "Brad" Whitewood Jr.
1986
John Vogel
2021
Jim Terrier
2015
Self
2008
2006
Bobby Cooper
1997
Terry
1990
Cheyenne
2011
Gene Rutkovsky
2024
Self (archive footage)
2021
Jim
1989
Self
2003
Sean Penn (uncredited)
2010
Joseph Wilson
2010
Willie Stark
2006
Emmet Ray
1999
Marciello
2003
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Daulton Lee
1985
Self
2007
Henry 'Hopper' Nash
1984
Eddie
1998
Thomas Janes
2000
Self
2011
Samuel Bicke
2004
Cuco Sanchez
2000
Glendon Wasey
1986
Eddie Quinn
1997
Self (archive footage)
2020
Narrator
2002
Dillard
1984
Sean Penn
2003
Self
2000
Self
2004
Strange Hitchhiker
1997
2023
Self (uncredited)
2002
Man on the Hill (Michael)
1997
(voice)
1987
"Groovin' Larry" Huff
2000
Self
2009
Self
2007
Self
2023
Guenther X
1988
Self
2014
Phil the Plumber (uncredited)
1990
Self
2008
Self
2011
Self
1993
Self
2003
Don Fremont
1981
Rowley Flint
2000
Bit Part (uncredited)
1981
Ray
2003
Self(archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
Self
2014
Pizza Guy
2020
Himself
Himself (Narrator)
2008
Self
2002
Self
2003
Self
2003
Himself
2014
Self
2006
1999
Himself (archive) - director, writer
2024
Himself (archive footage)
2015
Commie
2012
Self
2015
Self
1993
Self
2004
Self
2004
Narrator
2009
Buddy
1983
Himself
2020
Self
2011
Man
2017
2012
Groovin' Larry
1981
2017
Narrator
2013
1992
Self
2024
