Sean Penn

Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (“Milk”)

Nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (“Milk”)

Nominated for the 2008 Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead (“Milk”)

Nominated for the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (“Milk”)

Portrayed San Francisco city supervisor and gay rights activist, Harvey Milk in the Gus Van Sant directed "Milk"

Directed "Into the Wild," a drama based on the 1996 non-fiction book of the same name by Jon Krakauer about the life and death of Christopher McCandless; also adapted the screenplay; earned a DGA nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film

Played corrupt politician Willie Stark in the big-screen adaptation of the Robert Penn Warren novel, "All the King's Men"

Starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Sydney Pollack's "The Interpreter"

Starred opposite Naomi Watts, Don Cheadle and Jack Thompson in "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" based on a true story about a man who tried to hijack a jet and crash it into the White House during Nixon's second term

Starred in the emotional drama "Mystic River" directed by Clint Eastwood; received a SAG nomination for Best Actor

Had small role in the romance "It's All About Love"

Directed the feature film "The Pledge" starring Jack Nicholson

Had a recurring guest role on the NBC sitcom "Friends"

Narrated the documentary "Dogtown and Z-Boys"; screened at Sundance (released theatrically in US in 2002)

Starred as a mentally challenged man fighting for custody of his daughter in "I Am Sam"; earned third Best Actor Oscar nomination

Acted in Kathryn Bigelow's "The Weight of Water"

Made a cameo appearance as a Cuban peasant in Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls"

Returned to stage acting opposite Nick Nolte in Sam Shepard's play "The Late Henry Moss"

Cast as the world's second best guitar player in Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown"; received second Best Actor Academy Award nomination

Acted in Terrence Malick's return to directing after an absence of 20 years, "The Thin Red Line"

Reprised his stage role of Eddie for the screen version of "Hurlyburly"; fifth film with wife

Co-starred with Robin Wright Penn in "She's So Lovely"; directed by Nick Cassavetes from a script by the late John Casavetes

Executive produced the Los Angeles stage production of "Remembrance" starring his parents

Portrayed a killer on death row in "Dead Man Walking"; received first Best Actor Academy Award nomination

Producing debut, "The Crossing Guard"; starred Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston; Penn also wrote and directed

Returned to the screen in a supporting role in De Palma's "Carlito's Way"

Film directing and writing debut, "Indian Runner"; claimed to have retired from acting

First film with future wife Robin Wright, "State of Grace"

First film with director Brian De Palma, "Casualties of War"; scripted by Rabe

Acted in the Los Angeles stage production of David Rabe's "Hurlyburly"

Directed by father Leo in "Judgment in Berlin" (shown on TV as "Escape to Freedom")

Starred opposite Robert Duvall as L.A. street cops in "Colors"; film directed by Dennis Hopper

Acted with brother Christopher in "At Close Range"; mother Eileen Ryan played their grandmother

Starred opposite then-wife Madonna in the misfire, "Shanghai Surprise"

Delivered standout performance as a desperate, amoral, drugged-out kid in "The Falcon and the Snowman"

Earned favorable reviews as a troubled youth in "Bad Boys"

Returned to Broadway to co-star with Val Kilmer, Jackie Earle Haley and Kevin Bacon in "The Slab Boys"

Breakthrough feature role, playing stoner Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

Film acting debut in "Taps"; played a rebellious cadet at a military school

Had a supporting role in the CBS movie, "The Killing of Randy Webster"

Made Broadway debut in "Heartland" (show closed after two months)

Made professional acting debut in the CBS series "Barnaby Jones"

Family settled in Malibu, CA and he became friendly with Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen and Rob Lowe

Apprenticed for two years with the Group Repertory Theatre in Los Angeles

Formed Clyde Is Hungry Productions

Raised in the San Fernando Valley, CA