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 Carlitos 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 Allens comedydrama 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 Cassavetesdirected Shes 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 110901 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
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