Sean Penn
Acting
🎂 1960-08-17
Sean Justin Penn 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(137)
Sean Penn (voice)
1999
Himself
2003
Eric
1994
Self
2007
Self
2003
Sean Penn
2000
Self - Host
1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
1975
Self
2015
1974
Self - Presenter
1944
Self
1997
Self
2003
2025
Self
2005
Self - Actor and Founder of CORE
2025
Self
1953
Sean O'Connell
2013
Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
2025
2018
Terence (voice)
2016
Conrad Van Orton
1997
Jimmy Markum
2003
David Kleinfeld
1993
Self
1965
Himself (Narrator)
2008
Man
2017
Sean Penn (uncredited)
1999
Self
1999
Sam Dawson
2001
Self
2019
Mickey Cohen
2013
(voice)
1987
1st Sgt. Edward Welsh
1998
Self
2003
Paul Rivers
2003
Jack
2011
Sgt. Tony Meserve
1989
Jack Holden
2021
Groovin' Larry
1981
Jeff Spicoli
1982
Self
2008
Passenger in Car (uncredited)
1983
Bobby Cooper
1997
Jim Terrier
2015
Self
2023
Danny McGavin
1988
Tobin Keller
2005
Mick O'Brien
1983
Bit Part (uncredited)
1981
Samuel Bicke
2004
Joseph Wilson
2010
Dr. William Chester Minor
2019
Rowley Flint
2000
Self
2004
Jim
1989
Self
2003
Thomas Janes
2000
Tom Haggerty
2018
Self
2015
Himself
2014
Matthew Poncelet
1995
John Mitchell
2022
Narrator
2013
Himself (archive footage)
2015
Bradford "Brad" Whitewood Jr.
1986
Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer
1981
Himself
2020
Gene Rutkovsky
2024
Cheyenne
2011
Harvey Milk
2008
Marciello
2003
Self
2025
Self
2011
Henry 'Hopper' Nash
1984
Strange Hitchhiker
1997
Pizza Guy
2020
Terry
1990
Self
2008
Glendon Wasey
1986
Self
2003
Sean Penn (uncredited)
2010
Clark
2024
Self
2014
Self
2004
Daulton Lee
1985
Commie
2012
Willie Stark
2006
Self
2006
Buddy
1983
Narrator
2002
Emmet Ray
1999
2017
Cuco Sanchez
2000
Eddie
1998
1992
Self
2014
Self
2000
2012
Self
2007
Self
2009
Self
2011
Man on the Hill (Michael)
1997
Self
2004
"Groovin' Larry" Huff
2000
Self
2005
Sean Penn
2003
1999
2023
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Eddie Quinn
1997
Phil the Plumber (uncredited)
1990
Himself
Self
1993
Narrator
2009
Self
2004
Self
2006
Self
1993
Guenther X
1988
John Vogel
2021
Self
2008
2003
2006
Self
2003
Self(archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
Self
2007
Self
2011
Self
2024
Ray
2003
Dillard
1984
Don Fremont
1981
Self
2002
Self - Director, Writer (archive footage)
2024
Self
1994
Self
1999
Self (uncredited)
2002
Self
2003
