Sean Penn is an award-winning American actor, known for his performances in films such as I Am Sam, Sweet and Lowdown and Dead Man Walking.
Born in Los Angeles on August 17, 1960, his first appearance was on a 1974 episode of Little House on the Prairie, as his father, Leo Penn, directed some episodes. In 1981, Penn launched his career with the film Taps, and in 1982, he appeared in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In 1983, he plays troubled youth Mick O’Brien in the film Bad Boys, and it established his career as a serious actor.
In 1985, Penn pulled off one of his most memorable performances, in the film The Falcon and the Snowman. In 1986, he starred alongside Christopher Walken in the film At Close Range. In 1991, he made his directorial debut with the film The Indian Runner, starring Viggo Mortensen and David Morse.
In 1993, Carlito’s Way gave Sean Penn his first nomination, a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. He was nominated for Best Actor by both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards for his performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. The same happened for the 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown. In 2001, he was nominated for another Best Actor Oscar, for his performance in the film I Am Sam.
In 2003, Sean Penn finally won an Oscar for Best Actor, for his portrayal of Steven Malkum in the Clint Eastwood-directed film Mystic River. He also won a Golden Globe for Best Actor, and was nominated for a BAFTA Award. He had another BAFTA-nominated performance for the 2003 film 21 Grams.
His recent films include 2004’s The Assassination of Richard Nixon, 2005’s The Interpreter, and 2006’s All the King’s Men. He is slated to appear in the bio-pic Milk, as the lead, gay rights activist Harvey Milk.