Sean Penn

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Arts & Culture

Sean Penn

American actor

Also known as: Sean Justin Penn

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 • Article History

Sean Penn

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Category: Arts & Culture

In full:: Sean Justin Penn

Born:: August 17, 1960, Santa Monica, California, U.S. (age 63)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (2009); Academy Award (2004); Academy Award (2009): Actor in a Leading Role; Academy Award (2004): Actor in a Leading Role; Golden Globe Award (2004): Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Notable Works:: “Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff”; “Flag Day”; “Into the Wild”; “The Crossing Guard”; “The Pledge”

Notable Family Members:: spouse Madonna

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Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960, Santa Monica, California, U.S.) American film actor and director known for his versatility and intense performances. The son of show-business parents, Penn chose to forgo college and instead joined the Los Angeles Repertory Theater. After a few television appearances, including a role in an episode of Barnaby Jones (1979), he moved to New York City in 1980. Well-received performances in the Off-Broadway Heartlands and the film Taps (both 1981) paved the way for Penn’s fame-making role as the underachieving surfer Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). He followed with a variety ...(100 of 812 words)

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