Sean Penn's top performances you shouldn't miss
With a myriad of iconic roles and two Oscars, Hollywood filmmaker and actor Sean Penn leaves a long-lasting impact on the audiences' minds whenever he performs on screen. Be it an emotionally charged portrayal of a grieving father or his fearless embodiment of a gay rights activist, Penn is globally acclaimed for his thought-provoking roles. Check out his best works from his diverse filmography.
'Milk' (2008)
Penn won his second Academy Award for his brilliant portrayal of real-life politician and gay rights icon Harvey Milk in the 2008 biopic Milk. Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California who was later shot and killed. The film followed the Oscar-winning 1984 documentary about Milk's life and the aftermath of his assassination, The Times of Harvey Milk.
'Mystic River' (2003)
Penn won his first-ever Oscar for his gut-wrenching performance in the 2003 neo-noir crime drama film Mystic River. Penn's nuanced and raw portrayal of a grief-stricken father seeking justice for his daughter's murder earned him accolades. Based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, it follows the intertwined lives of three childhood friends shattered as one faces a family tragedy.
'I Am Sam' (2001)
Penn received yet another Oscar nomination for his role in the 2001 American drama film I Am Sam directed by Jessie Nelson. He plays a mentally challenged father fighting for custody of his bright and inquisitive seven-year-old daughter (played by Dakota Fanning). Time and again, Penn has proved his ability to embody characters with depth and authenticity and has shined brighter every time.
'Sweet and Lowdown' (1999)
Directed by Woody Allen, the 1999 comedy mockumentary Sweet and Lowdown stars Penn as a talented but troubled jazz guitarist, Emmet Ray, in the 1930s. Penn's portrayal of Ray's weirdness, insecurities, and musical genius is a perfect blend of humor and vulnerability. Loosely based on Federico Fellini's film La Strada, it follows guitarist Ray who develops feelings for mute laundress Hattie (Samantha Morton).
'Dead Man Walking' (1995)
From anger and denial to a painful transformation, Penn captures the complexities of Matthew Poncelet, a prisoner on death row struggling with guilt and redemption in Dead Man Walking. Adapted from the 1993 non-fiction book of the same name, the 1995 crime drama follows Poncelet's special relationship with Sister Helen Prejean ( Susan Sarandon) who visits him in prison as his spiritual adviser.
