Sean Penn biography, net worth, young, Madonna`s marriage, age, height, awards 2025

Biography of Sean Penn

Sean Justin Penn is a celebrated actor and Oscar winner for his powerhouse performances in Mystic River and Milk, an accomplished film director, and Madonna's ex-husband. Net worth: $70 million.

An American Actor and Film Director, Sean Penn

A Hoodlum and Rebel

Sean was born into a family of a Lithuanian and Russian Jew and a Catholic woman who had Italian and Irish blood in her veins. This colorful heritage practically guaranteed expressive children – and it certainly delivered. There are many legends about Sean Penn's rebellious temper. The actor grew up with his brothers in Santa Monica, where he hung out with future stars. Those boys were Charlie Sheen, Rob Lowe, and Emilio Estevez.

Sean didn't immediately fall for acting. As a kid, he never even dreamed of it. Living by the ocean, he was into surfing, stirring up trouble, and even considered becoming a cop. But during high school, he joined a Los Angeles theater company and caught the acting bug.

Tom Cruise, Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton on the Set of Taps

The theater world wasn't exactly welcoming. The aspiring actor found himself stuck with backstage work rather than landing actual roles. He stuck with theater even after landing a spot on the TV show Little House on the Prairie. He also made some short films with his school buddies. After graduation, he chose a 2-year theater company tour over college.

Chasing a Dream

It took Sean Penn a while to break into Hollywood, which frustrated him immensely but didn't make him give up. The future star continued to pursue his dream and the path leading to Broadway. So in 1980, Sean and his friends traveled to New York to land leading roles. But instead of landing theater roles, he broke into film. At one audition, a film producer spotted Penn, and a year later he landed a small role in the drama Taps where Tom Cruise and Timothy Hutton also played. That small role became the beginning of the long journey.

Later, the promising young actor was cast as a perpetually stoned surfer in the comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Sean delivered a brilliant performance that made him an instant star and opened doors for future roles.

A Frame from the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High

After the crime drama Bad Boys hit theaters, directed by Rick Rosenthal, no one questioned the young actor's talent. Sean Penn played an antisocial and brutal character, and his performance carried the entire film. After that role, critics compared Sean to Robert De Niro. After this success, the actor took on lighter fare, appearing in Louis Malle's crime drama Crackers and the melodrama Racing with the Moon.

One of the Most Famous Works of the Young Sean Penn (Racing with the Moon)

The 1985 political thriller The Falcon and the Snowman, where he starred alongside Timothy Hutton, established Sean Penn as perhaps the most promising actor of his generation. Right after this work, the actor immersed himself in the role of a criminal's son in the drama At Close Range. It was a pivotal moment for Sean, as he first met Madonna, whose song became part of the film's soundtrack.

At Close Range: Sean Penn Portraying Brad

Sean's romance with the pop diva blossomed in 1986. Later, they played in one pretty unsuccessful picture called Shanghai Surprise. Critics were left cold by the film. They claimed the lovestruck actors were too distracted for serious acting.

Two years later, the actor returned to form with a powerful performance in Dennis Hopper's crime drama Colors. It became clear that Sean gravitated toward films exploring deep political and social issues. In 1989, Penn teamed up with Robert De Niro for Neil Jordan's crime comedy We're No Angels, about two escaped convicts.

Brian De Palma

Sean Penn worked twice with renowned director Brian De Palma. They met for the first time in 1989 during the work on the war film Casualties of War. In that film, the actor played one of his most passionate roles. Four years later, during production of the gangster drama Carlito's Way, they met for the second time. Sean portrayed a lawyer of the main character portrayed by Al Pacino. Penn even earned a Golden Globe nomination.

Sean Penn delivered several memorable performances in the '90s. First, he played in the thriller State of Grace directed by Phil Joanou. It's the story of a man who returns home after years away to discover his friend has become a mobster and his girlfriend has transformed into a sophisticated woman. Robin Wright who became the actor's wife in real life portrayed his girl-friend. Later, he worked on such pictures as U-Turn, melodrama She's So Lovely and the thriller The Game. In 1998, there were another two pictures. The actor appeared in the dialogue-heavy drama Hurlyburly and The Thin Red Line which assembled an impressive ensemble cast and received a number of awards.

Sean Penn and Robin Wright Played in the State of Grace

Victories and Defeats

Sean Penn got his first Oscar nomination for his role in the crime drama Dead Man Walking in 1995. The actor portrayed a criminal who was sentenced to death and waited for the execution of the sentence. His three-month jail stint helped him prepare for the role. It happened after a fight with journalists.

Dead Man Walking - Trailer

He earned his second Oscar nomination in 1999 for playing a 1930s jazz guitarist in Sweet and Lowdown. And two years later, he got his third nomination for the film I Am Sam on which he worked with a little Dakota Fanning. To prepare for that role, Sean actually spent time at a center for people with mental disabilities. However, these were just nominations—the actor didn't take home the trophy for those performances.

In I Am Sam, Sean Penn Portrayed a Mentally Retarded Father

But Sean's powerhouse performance in Clint Eastwood's 2003 drama Mystic River finally earned him the Oscar. Altogether, the picture received six nominations for the prestigious award, two of which it won. Penn won his second Oscar five years later. He played gay rights activist Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's biographical drama.

In the Temple of Fame

In 2000, the actor appeared in a few pictures - the thriller The Weight of Water and the drama Up at the Villa. But all three films were overshadowed by the massive success of I Am Sam. Two years later came another heart-wrenching drama, 21 Grams, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. Sean Penn's performance was so intense that viewers feel a constant sense of unease throughout the entire film. The actor won the Venice Film Festival award for this project.

As the new millennium progressed, Sean began appearing in more mainstream studio films. For example, he played in the film The Assassination of Richard Nixon directed by Niels Mueller. The film chronicles the attempted assassination of America's 37th President. In 2005, the actor played in the comedy thriller The Interpreter directed by Sydney Pollack which had a great box office success.

His next project, however, didn't fare as well. Sean Penn played the lead in the picture All the King's Men. The film was an unsuccessful remake of the 1949 political corruption drama. However, his performances in films like The Tree of Life, Crossing Over, and In Search of Captain Zero reaffirmed his status as one of today's most compelling actors. For this role, he won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival.

Sean Penn's Monologue (All the King's Men)

Penn has also directed five films, including the award-winning The Pledge and the controversial 11'09"01 September 11.

Private Life of Sean Penn

Actress Elizabeth McGovern, who starred alongside Sean Penn in the melodrama Racing with the Moon, became his first Hollywood girlfriend. Their relationship didn't last long, and neither did his fling with Susan Sarandon. But later, he had an overwhelming and passionate romance with Madonna, which led to their wedding in 1985.

Their marriage lasted only four years, and during all that time the couple separated and reconciled repeatedly. Penn earned the nickname "Mr. Madonna," which drove him crazy. The marriage with a pop star ended with a huge scandal. The drunk Sean broke into her house, tied her to a chair, and beat her for several hours. Eventually, the singer found a way to escape. Later, she covered up the incident that could have sent her husband to prison, saying that Sean always had impulse control issues.

In 1996, Penn married Robin Wright, whom he had met on the set of State of Grace six years earlier. They had a quiet and steady marriage; she found a way to bridle the actor's wild temper for a while. Before they got married officially, they had two children - a daughter Dylan and a son Hopper. However, this marriage was like a roller coaster, and in 2010 they separated.

Penn has been dating Charlize Theron for a year and a half (since the beginning of 2014 to June of 2015) but according to the actress, their relationship ran its course quickly.

Penn and Theron's Relationship Run its Course Quickly

In 2016, Sean Penn met aspiring actress Leila George, and they began an affair. For four years they tried to keep their relationship secret, but in August 2020, it was revealed that the couple had gotten married. They did not give any comments to the journalists: close friends of the couple revealed the news of their wedding.

Sean Penn Now

Lately, the scandalous actor almost disappeared from television. The last big project he participated in was the adventure film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty directed by Ben Stiller. His role wasn't large, but he portrayed the elusive photographer whom Stiller's character was chasing all over the world to find a picture for the cover of Life magazine's final edition. He also played the lead in Hulu's sci-fi series The First (2018), which didn't receive enthusiastic feedback from critics, but Penn earned $500,000 per episode.

Sean Penn in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Recently, Sean Penn has been involved in film projects less and less. However, in 2019 he did star in the Irish drama thriller The Professor and the Madman. The actor played the role of William Chester Minor. The script is based on the novel by Simon Winchester, The Surgeon of Crowthorne, with Mel Gibson as his co-star.

The Professor and the Madman: Trailer

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Adam Bryan Johnson

I think Sean Penn is good to play the bad guys. His path is action movies and thrillers, definitely.

2021-05-18 18:36:44
Tara Wright

Sean Penn`s children are very beautiful!!! I wish him new achievements and heights in the acting field.

2021-05-12 10:12:35
Zachary Hayden Jackson

«Mystic River» is the case when everything is perfect. And the director, and the script, and the actors, and the idea itself! Sean Penn famously got used to the role of Jimmy Markum.

2021-03-29 11:20:27
Patricia Robbins

Sean Penn is not handsome, but in Hollywood films all kinds of actors are needed, right?

2021-03-28 22:50:26
Harold Edwards

A punchy man, I am inspired by his tenacity. I almost never miss a single film with him. My favorite roles are «I Am Sam», «21 Grams» and «The Secret Life of Walter Mitty».

2021-03-09 19:49:23

Photos: Sean Penn