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Sean Penn
Actor, Producer, Director, WriterBorn August 17, 1960 (65 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Sean Penn Filmography
| 2025 | |
| 2025 | One Battle After Another · as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw |
| 2023 | Daddio · as Clark |
| 2023 | Asphalt City · as Gene Rutkovsky |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | Bonnie · as Jeff Spicoli |
| 2022 | Gaslit (TV Series) · as John Mitchell |
| 2021 | Licorice Pizza · as Jack Holden |
| 2021 | Flag Day · as John Vogel |
| 2020 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High Table Read · as Pizza Guy |
| 2019 | An Accidental Studio · as Cast |
| 2019 | The Professor and the Madman · as Dr. William Chester Minor |
| 2018 | The First (TV Series) · as Tom Haggerty |
| 2018 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (TV Series) |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | The Angry Birds Movie · as Terence (voice) |
| 2015 | The Gunman · as Jim Terrier |
| 2013 | The Secret Life of Walter Mitty · as Sean O'connell |
| 2013 | The Human Experiment · as Narrator |
| 2013 | Gangster Squad · as Mickey Cohen |
| 2012 | |
| 2011 | This Must Be the Place · as Cheyenne |
| 2011 | The Tree of Life · as Jack |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | I'm Still Here · as Sean Penn (uncredited) |
| 2008 | Milk · as Harvey Milk |
| 2007 | 20 Acts of Love Gone Wrong · as Cast |
| 2007 | Persepolis · as Father |
| 2006 | All the King's Men · as Willie Stark |
| 2005 | The Interpreter · as Tobin Keller |
| 2004 | The Assassination of Richard Nixon · as Samuel Bicke |
| 2003 | 21 Grams · as Paul Rivers |
| 2003 | Viva La Bam (TV Series) |
| 2003 | Mystic River · as Jimmy Markum |
| 2003 | It's All About Love · as Marciello |
| 2003 | This So-Called Disaster · as Ray |
| 2002 | The 74th Annual Academy Awards · as Sam Dawson |
| 2001 | I Am Sam · as Sam Dawson |
| 2001 | Dogtown and Z-Boys · as Narrator |
| 2000 | Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years · as Alex Dwyer |
| 2000 | The Weight of Water · as Thomas Janes |
| 2000 | Before Night Falls · as Cuco Sanchez |
| 2000 | The Beaver Trilogy · as "groovin' Larry" Huff |
| 2000 | Up at the Villa · as Rowley Flint |
| 2000 | The 72nd Annual Academy Awards · as Emmet Ray |
| 1999 | Sweet and Lowdown · as Emmet Ray |
| 1999 | Being John Malkovich · as Sean Penn (uncredited) |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Sean Penn (voice) |
| 1998 | Hurlyburly · as Eddie |
| 1998 | The Thin Red Line · as 1st Sgt. Edward Welsh |
| 1997 | Hugo Pool · as Strange Hitchhiker |
| 1997 | Loved · as Man On The Hill (michael) |
| 1997 | U Turn · as Bobby Cooper |
| 1997 | The Game · as Conrad Van Orton |
| 1997 | She's So Lovely · as Eddie Quinn |
| 1996 | The 68th Annual Academy Awards · as Matthew Poncelet |
| 1995 | Dead Man Walking · as Matthew Poncelet |
| 1994 | Friends (TV Series) · as Eric |
| 1993 | Carlito's Way · as David Kleinfeld |
| 1990 | State of Grace · as Terry |
| 1989 | Cool Blue · as Phil The Plumber (uncredited) |
| 1989 | We're No Angels · as Jim |
| 1989 | Casualties of War · as Sgt. Tony Meserve |
| 1988 | Judgment in Berlin · as Guenther X |
| 1988 | Colors · as Danny Mcgavin |
| 1987 | Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam · as (voice) |
| 1986 | Shanghai Surprise · as Glendon Wasey |
| 1986 | At Close Range · as Bradford "brad" Whitewood Jr. |
| 1985 | The Falcon and the Snowman · as Daulton Lee |
| 1984 | Racing with the Moon · as Henry 'hopper' Nash |
| 1984 | Crackers · as Dillard |
| 1983 | Risky Business · as Passenger In Car (uncredited) |
| 1983 | Summerspell · as Buddy |
| 1983 | |
| 1982 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High · as Jeff Spicoli |
| 1981 | Taps · as Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer |
| 1981 | The Killing of Randy Webster · as Don Fremont |
| 1981 | Hellinger's Law · as Bit Part (uncredited) |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Sam |
| 2025 | aka Charlie Sheen (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2025 | Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (TV Series) · as Self - Actor And Founder Of Core |
| 2024 | Becoming Madonna · as Self |
| 2024 | Citizen Bruce: The American Pal · as Self : Actor, Director & Writer (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | Brats · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2024 | Sean Penn: The Outsider · as Self |
| 2023 | C*A*U*G*H*T (2023) (TV Series) · as Sean Penn |
| 2023 | Superpower · as Self |
| 2023 | 80th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2023 | Kulturkrieg - Kunst als Waffe/Art in War · as Self |
| 2022 | The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors · as Self |
| 2022 | Mel Gibson - A Tormented Soul · as Self |
| 2022 | Sheryl · as Self |
| 2022 | How (not) to Build a School in Haiti · as Self |
| 2021 | Val · as Self |
| 2021 | Wolfgang · as Self |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | 2021 Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2020 | Charles Bronson, Hollywood's Lone Wolf · as Self |
| 2020 | Citizen Penn · as Himself |
| 2019 | Lights Out with David Spade (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Dr. Jack and Mr. Nicholson · as Self |
| 2018 | The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling · as Self |
| 2017 | The Day I Met El Chapo: The Kate del Castillo Story (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Get the Weed · as Self |
| 2017 | Laura Coates Live (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2016 | The 39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors · as Self |
| 2016 | The Rise and Fall of El Chapo · as Self - Actor |
| 2016 | Sunday Today with Willie Geist (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | The Circus (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2015 | Beaver Trilogy Part IV · as Himself (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | Sweet Micky for President · as Self |
| 2014 | Variety: Actors on Actors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Return to the Wild: The Chris McCandless Story · as Himself |
| 2014 | Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | |
| 2013 | The Lead with Jake Tapper (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | The Announcement · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Woody Allen: A Documentary · as Self |
| 2011 | Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division · as Self |
| 2011 | Guys Choice Awards 2011 · as Self - Winner |
| 2011 | Piers Morgan Tonight (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2011 | Close Up (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2010 | Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune · as Self |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | Overheard (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2010 | The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell (TV Series) · as Self - Actor |
| 2010 | If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | Bad Boy Kummer · as Self |
| 2010 | The 82nd Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2009 | The People Speak · as Self |
| 2009 | American Politics All You Can Eat · as Self |
| 2009 | The 81st Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2009 | 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2009 | Hannity (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | The 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2008 | What Just Happened · as Sean Penn |
| 2008 | Witch Hunt · as Himself (narrator) |
| 2008 | VH1 Rock Honors: The Who · as Self |
| 2008 | Oscar, que empiece el espectáculo · as Self |
| 2008 | Speechless · as Self |
| 2008 | 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2008 | Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | War Made Easy: How Presidents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death · as Self - Narrator (voice) |
| 2007 | Brando · as Self |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | Premio Donostia a Matt Dillon · as Self |
| 2006 | Premio Donostia a Max Von Sydow · as Self |
| 2006 | When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | 2006 Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2006 | 100 Greatest Teen Stars (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Iconoclasts (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Reichen Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe · as Self |
| 2005 | The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The 77th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | 101 Most Unforgettable SNL Moments · as Self |
| 2004 | Rated 'R': Republicans in Hollywood · as Self |
| 2004 | The Insider (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The 76th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2004 | The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2004 | 10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | Racing with the Moon: The Story - The People · as Self - Actor |
| 2003 | Hollywood on Set (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Mystic River: From Page to Screen · as Self |
| 2003 | Premio Donostia a Sean Penn · as Self - Honoree |
| 2003 | Two and a Half Men (TV Series) · as Himself |
| 2003 | Che tempo che fa (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Anderson Cooper 360 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Inside Björk · as Self |
| 2003 | Celebrities Uncensored (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | MTV Icon: Metallica · as Self |
| 2003 | Pauly Shore Is Dead · as Sean Penn |
| 2003 | Real Time with Bill Maher (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die) · as Self |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (TV Series) · as Self - Actor |
| 2003 | Bukowski: Born into This · as Self |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Tinseltown TV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Searching for Debra Winger · as Self (uncredited) |
| 2001 | See How They Run · as Self |
| 2001 | Democracy Now! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | |
| 2000 | Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV Series) · as Sean Penn |
| 2000 | A Constant Forge · as Self |
| 1999 | Saturday Night Live 25 · as Self |
| 1999 | Where Are They Now? (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Fox Files (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | |
| 1998 | The Bad Boys of Saturday Night Live · as Self |
| 1998 | ARTE Journal Clips (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Whoever That Fails (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Extra (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Inside the Actors Studio (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Ellen (TV Series) · as Sean Penn |
| 1993 | The Last Party · as Self |
| 1993 | Madonna: The Name of the Game · as Self |
| 1993 | GMTV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | The Larry Sanders Show (TV Series) · as Sean Penn |
| 1992 | ARD-Morgenmagazin (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Maury (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1990 | The Word (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1986 | The Oprah Winfrey Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1985 | American Masters (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | Larry King Live (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | César Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1973 | AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self - Actor (segment "sean Penn") |
| 1966 | Firing Line (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | aspekte (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1954 | Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1954 | The Early Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 2025 | Words of War · as Executive Producer |
| 2024 | Manas · as Executive Producer |
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | C*A*U*G*H*T (2023) (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | Kid 90 · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | |
| 2013 | The Human Experiment · as Executive Producer |
| 2008 | Witch Hunt · as Executive Producer |
| 2007 | |
| 2001 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | She's So Lovely · as Executive Producer |
| 1995 |
| 2015 | The Gunman · as Screenplay |
| 2007 | Into the Wild · as Screenplay |
| 2002 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1991 | The Indian Runner · as Screenplay |