Sean Penn
Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Born: August 17, 1960 (65 years)
Santa Monica, California, USA

Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his intense leading man roles in film. His accolades include three Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for three British Academy Film Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Grammy Award. He received the Honorary César in 2015 and the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in 2022. Penn made his feature film debut in the drama Taps (1981), before taking roles in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Bad Boys (1983), and At Close Range (1986). He has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice, for playing a grieving father in Mystic River (2003) and the gay rights activist Harvey Milk in Milk (2008). He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing the ruthless military officer Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another (2025). He was Oscar-nominated for Dead Man Walking (1995), Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and I Am Sam (2001). He also acted in Casualties of War (1989), State of Grace (1990), Carlito's Way (1993), The Game(1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), Hurlyburly (1998), 21 Grams (2003), Fair Game (2010), The Tree of Life (2011), Licorice Pizza (2021) and Daddio (2023). Penn made his directorial film debut with the crime drama The Indian Runner (1991), followed by The Crossing Guard (1995), The Pledge (2001), and Into the Wild (2007). On stage, he acted in the Broadway plays Heartland (1981) and Slab Boys (1983). On television, he portrayed an astronaut in the Hulu drama series The First (2018) and John N. Mitchell in the Starz political thriller miniseries Gaslit (2022). Penn has also engaged in political and social activism, including his criticism of the George W. Bush administration, his contact with the presidents of Cuba and Venezuela, his humanitarian work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and his support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amidst the Russian-Ukrainian war. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sean Penn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies Directed (11)
Movies as Actor (111)
Samuel Bayer Beyond the Frame

Samuel Bayer Beyond the Frame

as Self

Jun 11, 2026

Learning, Studying… Always Perfecting: The Making of One Battle After Another

Learning, Studying… Always Perfecting: The Making of One Battle After Another

as Self

Jun 2, 2026

Animals in War

Animals in War

Nov 6, 2025

In Thanks We Trust

In Thanks We Trust

as Self

Sep 27, 2025

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another

as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw

Sep 23, 2025

Becoming Madonna

Becoming Madonna

as Self (archive footage)

Dec 30, 2024

Bruce Springsteen: The America Whisperer

Bruce Springsteen: The America Whisperer

as Self : Actor, Director & Writer (Archive footage)

Jul 31, 2024

Daddio

Daddio

as Clark

Jun 27, 2024

BRATS

BRATS

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Jun 7, 2024

Sean Penn, l'enfant terrible de l'Amérique

Sean Penn, l'enfant terrible de l'Amérique

as Self

May 6, 2024

Gonzo Girl

Gonzo Girl

Sep 7, 2023

Asphalt City

Asphalt City

as Gene Rutkovsky

May 12, 2023

Superpower

Superpower

as Self

Feb 17, 2023

Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza

as Jack Holden

Nov 26, 2021

Flag Day

Flag Day

as John Vogel

Aug 20, 2021

Citizen Penn

Citizen Penn

as Himself

Sep 24, 2020

Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A Virtual Table Read

Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A Virtual Table Read

as Pizza Guy

Sep 17, 2020

The Professor and the Madman

The Professor and the Madman

as Dr. William Chester Minor

Mar 7, 2019

Sound of Sun

Sound of Sun

as Man

Jan 14, 2017

Mad Hannans

Mad Hannans

Jan 1, 2017

The Angry Birds Movie

The Angry Birds Movie

as Terence (voice)

May 11, 2016

El Chapo & Sean Penn: Bungle in the Jungle

El Chapo & Sean Penn: Bungle in the Jungle

as Self

Mar 10, 2016

The Human Experiment

The Human Experiment

as Narrator

Apr 17, 2015

The Gunman

The Gunman

as Jim Terrier

Feb 16, 2015

Sweet Micky for President

Sweet Micky for President

as Self

Jan 23, 2015

Beaver Trilogy Part IV

Beaver Trilogy Part IV

as Himself (archive footage)

Jan 23, 2015

Return to the Wild: The Chris McCandless Story

Return to the Wild: The Chris McCandless Story

as Himself

Nov 25, 2014

Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey

Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey

as Self

Jun 15, 2014

The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles

The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles

as Self

Feb 9, 2014

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

as Sean O'Connell

Dec 18, 2013

Gangster Squad

Gangster Squad

as Mickey Cohen

Jan 9, 2013

Americans

Americans

as Commie

Oct 10, 2012

Haiti Untold

Haiti Untold

Jan 1, 2012

Woody Allen: A Documentary

Woody Allen: A Documentary

as Self

Nov 20, 2011

This Must Be the Place

This Must Be the Place

as Cheyenne

Aug 24, 2011

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life

as Jack

May 17, 2011

Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune

Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune

as Self

Jan 5, 2011

I'm Still Here

I'm Still Here

as Sean Penn (uncredited)

Sep 10, 2010

Fair Game

Fair Game

as Joseph Wilson

May 20, 2010

The People Speak

The People Speak

as Self

Dec 13, 2009

Deflating the Elephant

Deflating the Elephant

as Narrator

May 19, 2009

Milk

Milk

as Harvey Milk

Nov 5, 2008

What Just Happened

What Just Happened

as Sean Penn

Oct 17, 2008

Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt

as Himself (Narrator)

Sep 7, 2008

VH1 Rock Honors: The Who

VH1 Rock Honors: The Who

as Self

Jul 17, 2008

Viva La Bam: Fort Knoxville

Viva La Bam: Fort Knoxville

as Himself

Nov 7, 2007

War Made Easy

War Made Easy

as Narrator (Voice)

Aug 23, 2007

Brando

Brando

as Self

May 1, 2007

Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride

Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride

as Self

Dec 12, 2006

All the King's Men

All the King's Men

as Willie Stark

Sep 10, 2006

The Interpreter

The Interpreter

as Tobin Keller

Apr 8, 2005

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

as Self

Oct 12, 2004

Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

as Self(archive footage) (uncredited)

Aug 29, 2004

Mystic River: Beneath the Surface

Mystic River: Beneath the Surface

as Self

Jun 8, 2004

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

as Samuel Bicke

May 17, 2004

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

as Self

May 1, 2004

21 Grams: In Fragments

21 Grams: In Fragments

as Self

Mar 16, 2004

Mystic River: From Page to Screen

Mystic River: From Page to Screen

as Self

Oct 31, 2003

Mystic River

Mystic River

as Jimmy Markum

Oct 8, 2003

21 Grams

21 Grams

as Paul Rivers

Sep 6, 2003

Inside Björk

Inside Björk

as Self

Aug 23, 2003

Pauly Shore Is Dead

Pauly Shore Is Dead

as Sean Penn

Mar 11, 2003

Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)

Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)

as Self

Feb 10, 2003

Bukowski: Born Into This

Bukowski: Born Into This

as Self

Jan 18, 2003

It's All About Love

It's All About Love

as Marciello

Jan 10, 2003

This So-Called Disaster

This So-Called Disaster

as Ray

Jan 1, 2003

Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malick

Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malick

as Self

Sep 1, 2002

Searching for Debra Winger

Searching for Debra Winger

as Self (uncredited)

Jul 13, 2002

Dogtown and Z-Boys

Dogtown and Z-Boys

as Narrator

May 10, 2002

I Am Sam

I Am Sam

as Sam Dawson

Dec 28, 2001

The Weight of Water

The Weight of Water

as Thomas Janes

Mar 30, 2001

A Constant Forge

A Constant Forge

as Self

Oct 1, 2000

Before Night Falls

Before Night Falls

as Cuco Sanchez

Sep 3, 2000

Beaver Trilogy

Beaver Trilogy

as "Groovin' Larry" Huff

Aug 13, 2000

Up at the Villa

Up at the Villa

as Rowley Flint

Apr 14, 2000

Reliving Our Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Reliving Our Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Dec 21, 1999

Sweet and Lowdown

Sweet and Lowdown

as Emmet Ray

Dec 3, 1999

Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich

as Sean Penn (uncredited)

Oct 29, 1999

Hurlyburly

Hurlyburly

as Eddie

Dec 25, 1998

The Thin Red Line

The Thin Red Line

as 1st Sgt. Edward Welsh

Dec 23, 1998

Hugo Pool

Hugo Pool

as Strange Hitchhiker

Dec 12, 1997

Loved

Loved

as Man on the Hill (Michael)

Oct 31, 1997

U Turn

U Turn

as Bobby Cooper

Oct 3, 1997

The Game

The Game

as Conrad Van Orton

Sep 12, 1997

She's So Lovely

She's So Lovely

as Eddie Quinn

Aug 29, 1997

Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking

as Matthew Poncelet

Dec 29, 1995

Robbie Robertson: A Retrospective - From the Band to the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame

Robbie Robertson: A Retrospective - From the Band to the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame

as Himself

Dec 19, 1994

Carlito's Way

Carlito's Way

as David Kleinfeld

Nov 10, 1993

The Last Party

The Last Party

as Self

Aug 27, 1993

Madonna: The Name of the Game

Madonna: The Name of the Game

as Self

Jan 1, 1993

Cruise Control

Cruise Control

Oct 1, 1992

State of Grace

State of Grace

as Terry

Sep 14, 1990

Cool Blue

Cool Blue

as Phil the Plumber (uncredited)

Feb 27, 1990

Casualties of War

Casualties of War

as Sgt. Tony Meserve

Aug 18, 1989

We're No Angels

We're No Angels

as Jim

Jun 2, 1989

Judgment in Berlin

Judgment in Berlin

as Guenther X

May 6, 1988

Colors

Colors

as Danny McGavin

Apr 15, 1988

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

as (voice)

Oct 1, 1987

Shanghai Surprise

Shanghai Surprise

as Glendon Wasey

Aug 29, 1986

At Close Range

At Close Range

as Bradford 'Brad' Whitewood Jr.

Apr 18, 1986

The Falcon and the Snowman

The Falcon and the Snowman

as Daulton Lee

Jan 25, 1985

Racing with the Moon

Racing with the Moon

as Henry 'Hopper' Nash

Mar 23, 1984

Crackers

Crackers

as Dillard

Feb 17, 1984

Risky Business

Risky Business

as Passenger in Car (uncredited)

Aug 5, 1983

Summerspell

Summerspell

as Buddy

Jul 2, 1983

Bad Boys

Bad Boys

as Mick O'Brien

Mar 25, 1983

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

as Jeff Spicoli

Aug 13, 1982

Taps

Taps

as Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer

Dec 20, 1981

The Beaver Kid 2

The Beaver Kid 2

as Groovin' Larry

Sep 4, 1981

The Killing of Randy Webster

The Killing of Randy Webster

as Don Fremont

Mar 11, 1981

Hellinger's Law

Hellinger's Law

as Bit Part (uncredited)

Mar 10, 1981