History of Sean Penn in Timeline
Sean Penn is a celebrated American actor and film director recognized for his intense performances. He has garnered significant acclaim, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He also received an Honorary César in 2015, solidifying his influence and contributions to the film industry.
1984: Engaged to Elizabeth McGovern
In 1984, Sean Penn was engaged to his "Racing with the Moon" co-star, actress Elizabeth McGovern.
January 1985: Meets Madonna
In January 1985, Sean Penn met singer Madonna on the set of her "Material Girl" music video.
June 1985: Assault charges in Nashville
In June 1985, Sean Penn assaulted two journalists while they tried to photograph him and Madonna in Nashville.
August 16, 1985: Marries Madonna
On August 16, 1985, Sean Penn married singer Madonna on her 27th birthday.
October 1985: Plea in journalist assault case
In October 1985, Sean Penn pled no contest to charges that he assaulted two journalists in Nashville in June 1985 and was fined $50 on each of two misdemeanor charges of assault and battery.
January 1986: Charged for allegedly assaulting journalist in Macau
In January 1986, Sean Penn was charged for allegedly assaulting Leonel Borralho, a Macau correspondent, after he photographed Madonna and Penn.
June 1986: Charged with misdemeanor battery
In June 1986, Sean Penn was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly assaulting songwriter David Wolinski at Helena's nightclub in Los Angeles, who Penn accused of trying to kiss Madonna.
1986: Stars in Shanghai Surprise and Dedication of True Blue
In 1986, Sean Penn and Madonna starred in the poorly reviewed film "Shanghai Surprise". Also in 1986, Madonna dedicated her album "True Blue" to Sean Penn.
April 1987: Arrested for punching a film extra
In April 1987, Sean Penn violated probation and was arrested for punching a film extra, Jeffrey Klein, on the set of the movie "Colors".
June 1987: Sentenced to jail for assault and reckless driving
In June 1987, Sean Penn was sentenced to 60 days in jail for assaulting a film extra and reckless driving. He served 33 days of the sentence and was incarcerated in the same jail holding serial killer Richard Ramirez.
December 1987: Madonna files for divorce
In December 1987, Madonna filed for divorce from Sean Penn, but withdrew the papers two weeks later.
January 1989: Madonna files for divorce again
In January 1989, Madonna filed for divorce from Sean Penn again and reportedly withdrew an assault complaint against him.
1989: Begins dating Robin Wright
In 1989, Sean Penn began dating actress Robin Wright.
April 13, 1991: Birth of daughter Dylan Frances
On April 13, 1991, Sean Penn and Robin Wright's first child, a daughter named Dylan Frances, was born.
August 6, 1993: Birth of son Hopper Jack
On August 6, 1993, Sean Penn and Robin Wright's second child, a son named Hopper Jack, was born.
1995: Separation from Wright and Relationship with Jewel
In 1995, Sean Penn and Robin Wright separated, during which time he developed a relationship with singer Jewel.
1995: Nomination for Dead Man Walking
In 1995, Sean Penn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Dead Man Walking.
April 27, 1996: Marries Robin Wright
On April 27, 1996, Sean Penn and Robin Wright reconciled and married.
1999: Nomination for Sweet and Lowdown
In 1999, Sean Penn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Sweet and Lowdown.
2001: Nomination for I Am Sam
In 2001, Sean Penn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in I Am Sam.
October 18, 2002: Advertisement in The Washington Post
On October 18, 2002, Sean Penn placed a $56,000 advertisement in The Washington Post, publicly asking President George W. Bush to end military hostilities in Iraq and elsewhere.
December 2002: Brief visit to Iraq
In December 2002, Sean Penn visited Iraq briefly. His criticism of the Bush administration drew praise from his ex-wife Madonna.
2002: Protests Bush administration's Iraq plans
From December 13-16, 2002, Sean Penn visited Iraq to protest against the Bush administration's plans for a military strike.
2003: Academy Award for Mystic River
In 2003, Sean Penn won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Mystic River.
June 10, 2005: Visits Iran as a journalist
On June 10, 2005, Sean Penn visited Iran, acting as a journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle and attended a Friday prayer at Tehran University.
September 2005: Aids Hurricane Katrina victims
In September 2005, Sean Penn traveled to New Orleans to aid Hurricane Katrina victims and was physically involved in rescuing people.
January 7, 2006: Guest at Progressive Democrats of America forum
On January 7, 2006, Sean Penn was a special guest at the Progressive Democrats of America, joining Norman Solomon and Cindy Sheehan at their "Out of Iraq Forum" in Sacramento, California.
December 18, 2006: Receives Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award
On December 18, 2006, Sean Penn received the Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award from the Creative Coalition for his commitment to free speech.
2006: Interviewed for Spike Lee documentary
In 2006, Director Spike Lee interviewed Sean Penn for Lee's documentary about Hurricane Katrina, "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts".
April 19, 2007: Appearance on The Colbert Report
On April 19, 2007, Sean Penn appeared on "The Colbert Report" and had a "Meta-Free-Phor-All" versus Stephen Colbert. Penn won the contest.
December 2007: Files for divorce from Wright (first time)
In December 2007, Sean Penn and Robin Wright filed for divorce, but reconciled several months later.
2007: Directors Guild Nomination
In 2007, Sean Penn received a Directors Guild of America nomination for directing Into the Wild.
August 2008: Attends Ralph Nader rally
In August 2008, Sean Penn attended one of Ralph Nader's "Open the Debates" super rallies, protesting against the exclusion of Nader and other third-party candidates.
October 2008: Visits Cuba and interviews Raul Castro
In October 2008, Sean Penn visited Cuba and interviewed then-Cuban president Raúl Castro.
2008: Supports Dennis J. Kucinich in 2008 election
In 2008, Sean Penn supported Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich in the U.S. presidential election.
2008: Academy Award for Milk
In 2008, Sean Penn won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Milk.
February 22, 2009: Academy Award for Best Actor
On February 22, 2009, Sean Penn received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Milk. During his acceptance speech, he advocated for equal rights, criticizing those who opposed gay marriage.
April 2009: Files for legal separation (first time)
In April 2009, Sean Penn filed for legal separation from Robin Wright, but withdrew the case in May after reconciling.
August 12, 2009: Wright files for divorce again
On August 12, 2009, Robin Wright filed for divorce from Sean Penn again.
October 2009: Altercation with photographer
In October 2009, Sean Penn had an altercation with photographer Frank Mateljan.
March 2010: Call for imprisonment of journalists
In March 2010, Sean Penn called for the imprisonment of journalists who referred to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as a dictator, sparking controversy and criticism from conservative and libertarian media sources.
May 2010: Pleads no contest to misdemeanor charge
In May 2010, Sean Penn pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an altercation with a photographer in October 2009. He was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community service and undergo 36 hours of anger management counseling.
July 22, 2010: Divorce from Wright finalized
On July 22, 2010, Sean Penn and Robin Wright's divorce was finalized, with a private agreement reached on child and spousal support.
2010: Founds J/P Haitian Relief Organization
After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Sean Penn founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which operated a 55,000-person tent camp.
December 2011: Verbal Fight with Maria Conchita Alonso
In December 2011, Sean Penn had a verbal altercation with actress María Conchita Alonso at an airport, during which Penn called her "a pig" and Alonso called Penn a communist, escalating their disagreements over political views.
January 31, 2012: Designated Ambassador-at-Large for Haiti
On January 31, 2012, Sean Penn was designated by Haitian president Michel Martelly as Ambassador-at-Large for Haiti, the first non-Haitian citizen to hold the position.
February 2012: Comments on Falkland Islands Dispute
In February 2012, Sean Penn met with the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, in Buenos Aires, commenting on the Falkland Islands dispute and advocating for dialogue to resolve the conflict.
February 2012: Criticism of Falklands Dispute Comments
In February 2012, Sean Penn's comments on the Falklands dispute were criticized by Falklands War veteran Simon Weston and British Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, who deemed his statements "moronic."
March 23, 2012: Visit to Flood-Stricken Villages in Pakistan
On March 23, 2012, Sean Penn, accompanied by U.S. Consul General William J. Martin, visited flood-stricken villages in the Badin District of Pakistan. He distributed essential goods, including blankets, quilts, and kitchen items, to flood survivors.
March 24, 2012: Visit to Bilquis Edhi Female Child Home
On March 24, 2012, Sean Penn visited the Bilquis Edhi Female Child Home in Pakistan. During his visit, he met with Abdul Sattar Edhi and his wife, Bilquis Edhi, and paid respects at the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi.
December 2013: Begins dating Charlize Theron
In December 2013, Sean Penn began dating South African actress Charlize Theron.
June 2015: Relationship with Theron ends
In June 2015, Sean Penn's relationship with Charlize Theron ended.
July 2015: Communication with El Chapo
In July 2015, communication between Kate del Castillo and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán increased after Guzmán's escape from a Mexican prison. They discussed producing a biographical film about Guzmán.
September 16, 2015: Lee Daniels references Penn's alleged domestic violence
On September 16, 2015, director Lee Daniels referenced Sean Penn's rumored history of domestic violence in response to criticism about Terrence Howard's career.
2015: Madonna Denies Assault Allegations
In 2015, Madonna denied allegations of Sean Penn striking her during their marriage, calling them "completely outrageous, malicious, reckless, and false".
2015: Honorary César
In 2015, Sean Penn received the Honorary César for lifetime achievement.
January 9, 2016: Secret Interview with El Chapo
On January 9, 2016, Rolling Stone reported that Sean Penn and actress Kate del Castillo conducted a secret interview with the Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán prior to his arrest, a day after Mexican officials announced Guzmán's capture.
May 2016: Penn drops defamation suit against Daniels
In May 2016, Sean Penn dropped his $10 million defamation suit against Lee Daniels after Daniels retracted his statement and apologized for referencing Penn's alleged domestic violence.
2016: Theron Stars in The Last Face
In 2016, Charlize Theron starred in Sean Penn's film "The Last Face", which they filmed while still in a relationship.
2016: Begins relationship with Leila George
In 2016, Sean Penn began a relationship with Australian actress Leila George, daughter of actors Vincent D'Onofrio and Greta Scacchi.
2018: Stars in The First
In 2018, Sean Penn starred in his first leading role in a television series, portraying Tom Hagerty, an astronaut in the Hulu science fiction drama "The First".
January 18, 2019: Hulu cancels The First
On January 18, 2019, Hulu canceled the science fiction drama series "The First", in which Sean Penn played the leading role of astronaut Tom Hagerty, after only one season.
July 30, 2020: Marries Leila George
On July 30, 2020, Sean Penn married Leila George.
2020: Cameo in Curb Your Enthusiasm
In 2020, Sean Penn made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm", season 10, titled "The Spite Store".
October 15, 2021: George files for divorce
On October 15, 2021, Leila George filed for divorce from Sean Penn.
2021: Denounces cancel culture
In 2021, Sean Penn denounced cancel culture, describing it as "ludicrous".
2021: Portrays Jack Holden in Licorice Pizza
In 2021, Sean Penn portrayed Jack Holden, an actor based on William Holden, in Paul Thomas Anderson's coming-of-age comedy-drama, "Licorice Pizza".
February 25, 2022: Statement on Ukraine
On February 25, 2022, amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sean Penn stated, "If we allow it [Ukraine] to fight alone, our soul as America is lost."
April 22, 2022: Divorce from George finalized
On April 22, 2022, Sean Penn and Leila George's divorce was finalized.
November 2022: Lending Oscar to Zelenskyy
In Kyiv in November 2022, Sean Penn lent his Oscar statuette to President Zelenskyy as a symbol of support, while Zelenskyy awarded Penn the Ukrainian Order of Merit.
2022: Stars in Gaslit
In 2022, Sean Penn returned to television, starring in the Starz political thriller limited series "Gaslit" as John N. Mitchell, alongside Julia Roberts.
June 2023: Begins relationship with Olga Korotyayeva
In June 2023, Sean Penn began a relationship with Ukrainian Olga Korotyayeva.
2023: Directs Superpower and stars in Daddio
In 2023, Sean Penn directed his first documentary film, "Superpower", profiling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and starred as a cab driver in Christy Hall's directorial debut, "Daddio".
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