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Powerhouse film performer capable of intensely moving work who has gone from strength to strength during a colourful film career, and who has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life and political viewpoints, California-born Sean Penn is the second son of actress Eileen Ryan & director Leo Penn, also brother of Chris Penn. He first appeared in roles as strong-headed or unruly youths such as the military cadet defending his academy against closure in Taps - Más allá del honor (1981), then as fast-talking surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli in Aquel 'excitante' curso (1982).
Fans and critics were enthused about his o
Powerhouse film performer capable of intensely moving work who has gone from strength to strength during a colourful film career, and who has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life and political viewpoints, California-born Sean Penn is the second son of actress Eileen Ryan & director Leo Penn, also brother of Chris Penn. He first appeared in roles as strong-headed or unruly youths such as the military cadet defending his academy against closure in Taps - Más allá del honor (1981), then as fast-talking surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli in Aquel 'excitante' curso (1982).
Fans and critics were enthused about his obvious talent and he next contributed a stellar performance alongside Timothy Hutton in the Cold War spy thriller El juego del halcón (1985), followed by a teaming with icy Christopher Walken in the chilling Hombres frente a frente (1986). The youthful Sean then paired up with his then wife, pop diva Madonna in the woeful, and painful, Shanghai Surprise (1986), which was savaged by the critics, but Sean bounced back with a great job as a hot-headed young cop in Colores de guerra (1988), gave another searing performance as a US soldier in Vietnam committing atrocities in Corazones de hierro (1989) and appeared alongside Robert De Niro in the uneven comedy Nunca fuimos ángeles (1989). However, the 1990s was the decade in which Sean really got noticed by critics as a mature, versatile and accomplished actor, with a string of dynamic performances in first-class films.
Almost unrecognisable with frizzy hair and thin rimmed glasses, Penn was simply brilliant as corrupt lawyer David Kleinfeld in the Brian De Palma gangster movie Atrapado por su pasado (1993) and he was still in trouble with authority as a Death Row inmate pleading with a caring nun to save his life in Pena de muerte (1995), for which he received his first Oscar nomination. Sean then played the brother of wealthy Michael Douglas, involving him in a mind-snapping scheme in The Game (1997) and also landed the lead role of Sgt. Eddie Walsh in the star-studded anti-war film La delgada línea roja (1998), before finishing the 1990s playing an offbeat jazz musician (and scoring another Oscar nomination) in Acordes y desacuerdos (1999).
The gifted and versatile Sean had also moved into directing, with the quirky but interesting Extraño vínculo de sangre (1991), about two brothers with vastly opposing views on life, and in 1995 he directed Jack Nicholson in Cruzando la oscuridad (1995). Both films received overall positive reviews from critics. Moving into the new century, Sean remained busy in front of the cameras with even more outstanding work: a mentally disabled father fighting for custody of his seven-year-old daughter (and receiving a third Oscar nomination) for Yo soy Sam (2001); an anguished father seeking revenge for his daughter's murder in the gut-wrenching Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River (2003) (for which he won the Oscar as Best Actor); a mortally ill college professor in 21 gramos (2003) and a possessed businessman in El asesinato de Richard Nixon (2004).
Certainly Sean Penn is one of Hollywood's most controversial, progressive and gifted actors.
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Tags: Actor (39), American (20), Oscar Winner (14), Male (14), Born 1960 (12), Activist (10), Mystic River (9), 21 Grams (9), Awesome (8), Talented (7), Born In August (7), Director (6), Hot (5), Tough Guy (5), Gorgeous (5), Excellent (5), Needs Anger Management (5), August 17 (5), White (4)
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