Sean Penn = a-hole?

[JoBlo]

This is a question that's been plaguing me for years. I LOVE Sean Penn, his acting, his characters, I mean the bastard actually made me cry in DEAD MAN WALKING!

But something about him has always bothered me a lot. HE KEEPS SAYING THAT HE HATES ACTING, BUT KEEPS ACTING ANYWAY! I mean, I understand how someone could change their mind from time to time, but come on!!!

And what's with the pot-shots at Nic Cage, whom he accused of being a "performer" as opposed to a real actor.

Well, I don't know. Isn't being a performer for MONEY a better thing to be than an "actor" who only acts whenever he needs more money to finance his next movie?

I don't know...maybe I'm just ranting here... /ubb/smile.gif

God knows I REALLY DO LOVE the guy, and his appearances on talk shows which are always accentuated by his politically incorrect smoking habit, but I don't know...something about the guy just smells...

You know...kinda strange.

[Cashturn]

I think that Sean Penn just has the whole "Fuck You" attitude towards everyone in the world. I suppose that with talent like his, perhaps he thinks he's entitled to that. Still, just being a nice guy once in awhile might be a welcomed change.

I don't get the shots at Nic Cage either. I suppose that they maybe had a run-in over a part or something, who the hell knows.

Just my humble thoughts

[This message has been edited by Cashturn (edited 05-26-2000).]

[QUENTIN]

I THINK THE REASON SEAN PENN IS PISSED AT NIC CAGE IS BECAUSE NICOLAS WON THE OSCAR FOR BEST ACTOR IN 1995 FOR LEAVING LAS VEGAS AND SEAN PENN THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE WON FOR DEAD MAN WALKING

[Brock Landers]

Penn is one of thos actors who is forced to be an asshole to protect himself. Imagine growing up playing "rebel" parts, marrying Madonna, becoming a major celebrity, wanting to remain private, overcoming self-abuses and still above all else remaining true to his career always choosing roles that meant something to him...He is very similar to Johnny Depp, and I bet if Johnny had married Madonna and absorbed controversy and privacy invasion since a young age than we would be talking about the same person. I use Depp as an example because I believe they are both extremely talented actors who actually do what they do for reasons other than monetary gratification...and you know what, dig man...if Sean Penn is a major asshole, who really gives a shit...I mean it's not like you have to live with him...I mean look at Deniro, he is definitely the biggest asshole out there and anti-social to say the least. If Sean Penn is an asshole than DeNiro is the Godfather of assholes...

[JoBlo]

Then what does that make Val Kilmer and Jared Leto? Prince Asshole and the nephew Ass...? /ubb/smile.gif

[Brock Landers]

I'm not quite sure about those two, but Joseph "Joey" Lawrence is somewhere there in that "royal" lineage. You know what they say about assholes...and there are a lot of assholes in this general region...I mean, the sun never sets on the British Empire...well the sun never sets on my asshole...dig...

[This message has been edited by Brock Landers (edited 09-27-2000).]

[jero]

I keep thinking about Sean Penn doing Tyler Durden, and I keep imagining him instead of Brad Pitt and I think he would have made an excellent job as Tyler, in my opinion probably as good or maybe even better than Pitt's because this badass motha (Penn) is incredibly talented, despite his character flaws, maybe that's why the casting director of Fight Club thought of him first, who knows, I really loved Dead Man Walking but another great performance he did,I think, was in Casualties of War, pretty good Vietnam drama by the way.

[Brock Landers]

I agree that Penn is talented, he just gets mixed-up in some bad shit sometimes...

Penn is definitely on my most watchable actors list, I mean I would see ANY and ALL films that he does...even if it is another one with his wife Robin Wright Penn. I mean, this is like one of those wierd relationships in porn, where the girl will only sleep with her real-life husband. Definitely bad for their careers.

[movies35]

I never really thought of Sean Pean as an asshole. But when I saw Celebrities Uncencered, I really got a different look at him. He really is an asshole to everyone. And for the recond, I never thought he was a great actor either. :)

[Reigh Kaufman]

Old post?

Anyway, the guy is a twat and a very talented twat at that. A brilliant actor and very under-rated director to boot. And, sorry Jo, I know it was an old post, but he was right on the money with his Nicholas Cage comment; with the exception of Adaptation, his recent output has been so stinky I have almost choked on the reek of his hammy acting.

[Grebdron]

Ditto Reigh.

Penn might be an asshole. Hell, probably is. And I won't defend him. I think he's a world class dickhead.

But he was dead on about Cage.

[BadCoverVersion]

Originally posted by QUENTIN
I THINK THE REASON SEAN PENN IS PISSED AT NIC CAGE IS BECAUSE NICOLAS WON THE OSCAR FOR BEST ACTOR IN 1995 FOR LEAVING LAS VEGAS AND SEAN PENN THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE WON FOR DEAD MAN WALKING

Sweet Jesus...my sides.

Oh how I mock thee.

[Cosimo]

I think the man is a better director than he is an actor.I think Penn has definitely cleaned up his image in recent years.I also think that Cage remark is true to a certain extent.Cage sure as hell shouldnt ever appear in an action movie again as his performances in films like Face Off,Con-Air,Windtalkers have all been dismal.The man is far better suited to either playing the loser in intense dramas or doing comedy with Raising Arizona,The Family Man and Adaptation all proving the guy can act.

[Subotai]

I'm sure looking forward to him in Mystic River.

[Jon Lyrik]

This topic is over trhee years old.

[Hannibal21]

YAY!

I don't really like his attitude, but he's a solid actor.

[Scarface98.9]

Marlon Brando was said to be an asshole who hated acting, but still acted to pay the bills. I guess there's a talent:love of the business ratio going on

[movies35]

Originally posted by Jon Lyrik
This topic is over trhee years old.

So? Lots of old threads are bumped up.

[therealjohng]

I love Sean Penn's attitude. The whole fuck you thing is great! I love the fact that he doesn't even go to the Oscar's when he's even nominated. He just doesn't give a fuck.

[notchreturns]

Penn can be an asshole all he wants, doesn't make any difference to me. As long as he keeps giving great performances in films such as Dead Man Walking, Carlito's Way, Falcon and The Snowman, At Close Range, etc... I'm a happy camper.

Same goes with Crowe (one of the best actors, if not the best, at the moment), Vilmer, Leto and anyone else who's consider a major dick in H-Wood.

[FilmBuff84]

Being an asshole seems to help with acting. Sean Penn, Val Kilmer and Jared Leto - all terrific actors. Penn is amazing, was robbed of an I Am Sam oscar, and you can pretty much guarantee when you see a movie with him, he's gonna impress, even if the movie isn't anything to write home about. And back to what Jo said about being a 'performer' and 'being a real actor', was he being a real actor when he guest starred on 'Friends'? He was very funny in his guest appearances, but it wasn't stretching acting bones. Still, the guy's a talented SOB, and for that he gets credit.

[Invincible]

Originally posted by Jon Lyrik
This topic is over trhee years old.

I love the date '2000' aaaahhhh the good ol' days :D

[Giselle]

Yay because i'm strangely attracted to him in "At Close Range".
.

[RickySlade]

Sean Penn = great actor.

[Tom Samborski]

Yay, the man is a very good actor.

[The Other]

Sean Penn should've won Best Actor over Nicolas Cage in 1995. I really thought Penn was brilliant in Dead Man Walking, and like Jo, also got me teary-eyed in it. I didn't really care much for Cage in Leaving Las Vegas.

[zeppelin]

First of all, as pretty much everyone else already said, he's a terrific actor. Second, I don't think he's as much of an asshole as people say he is. Yea, he does have the whole "fuck you" attitude a lot, but do you really think he's like that all the time? While watching the AFI Lifetime Achievement to Robert De Niro, he seemed like he was having fun while sitting in the audience. Laughing and smiling and all. What I'm saying is, although he does come off as a jerk sometimes, he cannot possibly be like that ALL the time. For all we know, he only acts like that when he's on camera in front of the press...maybe he just doesn't like the paparazzi. Or maybe not, I don't know. I don't really follow the lives of actors I like because I usually don't want to know what they're like off-screen, because if I did, it would somehow seem less convincing to me that they are the people they portray on screen. Besides, not every actor has to be Tom Hanks.

[DevilMonkey]

Sean Penn is an asshole. NAY

[ilovemovies]

I've made up my mind along time ago that I'm only going to base on talent or looks (but only if I haven't seen enough of their work to know) because you just can't believe what you read about celebrities. It's just too hard to tell what is bullshit and what isn't. I would only base on personality if I ever met the particular celebrity. And I've never met a celebrity so there you go. But I might say something like this person seems nice. But that wouldn't count if I don't think they are very talented.

Having said that based on talent I would give Sean Penn a yay. Although I sometimes think he's a tad overrated, there is no denying he's a solid actor and director.

[jeo4]

This is a typical Hollywood asshole. He uses his celebrity status to push his opinion on the world. He's a high school drop-out, yet his political and social opinions matter more than most politicians. Also, he couldn't carry Nicolas Cage's jock.

[Lindsey]

Let's bump this motha! Great thread, with great people and their fabulous opinions ;)

It's been 8 good ol' years since this thread was posted... I was thinking of Sean Penn today after watching Mystic River. He really is an amazing actor still, but I'll always prefer his brother.. R.I.P Chris.

[Tweek]

Wow...

And here I thought our leader was making an appearance to start a thread TODAY! Guess I was wrong. I'm so crushed. ;)

On the subject of Penn, he's gone up in my book since Into the Wild.:cool:

[jeo4]

He's still a Hollywood asshole.

Very overrated. Very undertalented.

Nic Cage has fallen downward quite a few steps for me (his filmography over the last ten years has been horrible), but he's still no worse than Sean Penn.

And while the moderators last post was dripping with sarcasm toward some members of this place, I can't disagree with the comment about Chris Penn being a better actor.

[Lindsey]

And while the moderators last post was dripping with sarcasm toward some members of this place, I can't disagree with the comment about Chris Penn being a better actor.

Are you kidding me?? Why do you think I bumped it in the first place? Jo, Brock, notch, Greb, QUENTIN, Reigh, Invincible, Tom... All great Schmoes.. Former and current. I miss conversations like these, and I was going through some old threads and came across this. I apologize if you thought I was being sarcastic, but I wasn't. :)

[Juliet Bravo]

IInto the Wild was pointless and tasteless. I was very much put off by the cheesy script and Thoreau quotations and over-the-top plot twists and "symbolisms". If he considered that project close to his heart, then I would say that he isn't highly evolved intellectually. God did I hate that movie.

[jeo4]

Are you kidding me?? Why do you think I bumped it in the first place? Jo, Brock, notch, Greb, QUENTIN, Reigh, Invincible, Tom... All great Schmoes.. Former and current. I miss conversations like these, and I was going through some old threads and came across this. I apologize if you thought I was being sarcastic, but I wasn't. :)

The winking smilie threw me. I thought you were dogging some members. Maybe I mistinterpreted. No worries, then,

Anyway, back on topic...

Is it funny that Sean Penn has that Joe Walsh thing going for him lately...

http://celebslam.buzznet.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/sean-penn-antiwar-babble-front.jpg
Sean Penn

http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/jo/joewaoao711221431579780.jpg

http://home.cogeco.ca/~mansion/walsh1.jpg

[Lindsey]

The winking smilie threw me. I thought you were dogging some members. Maybe I mistinterpreted. No worries, then,

No problem bud! Glad we're on the same page! I used the wink smile because sometimes people get irritated with the bumping of really old threads, so I was trying to add a little happiness/ha-ha to the thread. LOL.. Sorry that back fired a little.. Anywho, back on topic!

Wow! You're right jeo! He definitely has that look going on! (BTW, Funk No.49 is one of my all time favs!)

[The Postmaster General]

I remember when Penn was trying to film a documentary about Katrina aftermath and was having a hard time with his boat or something - everyone made fun of him, and said what a prick he was and so forth. He's been dogged pretty much his entire career one way or another, probably because of his persona people thought he welcomed it. To me, Penn gives it as good as he takes it.

[EBastard]

I recommened to anyone who has the Sundance Channel to catch his Iconoclasts episode with Jon Krakauer (writer of Into The Wild).

It gives a helluva lot of insight into SP, like exactly what his frustrations are with acting in films, writing and directing films in general, and his entire persona. Really interesting stuff even if you're not a fan of Penn.



SHIVER ME TIMBERS...

THE BASTARD RETURNS...FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THIS ANCIENT THREAD!

[xseanymacx]

Who cares...one of my absolute favorite actors.

[Pirate Mike]

http://www.pix8.net/pro/pic/10961qYKOR/405838.jpg

But I do enjoy some of his films and Into the Wild was one of my favorite films of last year

[EVILxxx]

Wow the mortality rate for schmoes seems to be pretty high... makes me a little nervous.

As for Penn I don't know if he is an asshole but he sure acts like one.

[The Postmaster General]

We're like the Jedi Knights of internet forums, EVILxxx.

How? I'm not sure. It just kind of sounded good in my head.

[Derek237]

I thought it was just common knowledge that Sean Penn is a crazy asshole. It's just his trait....some actors are fat and we make fun of them for that, some actors are really old and we make fun of them for that, some actresses are crazy drunks/drug addicted sluts and we make fun of them for that....and then some are just crazy assholes. At the end of the day you're either talented or not despite these traits, and Penn is talented so whatever, it's fair game.

BTW I was very surprised to find myself watching the show Two And A Half Men and seeing Sean Penn appear as a guest star, playing poker with Charlie Sheen's character and Elvis Costello, I think.

[Lindsey]

BTW I was very surprised to find myself watching the show Two And A Half Men and seeing Sean Penn appear as a guest star, playing poker with Charlie Sheen's character and Elvis Costello, I think.

Yeah I remember he was also in a couple episodes of Friends playing the beau of Phoebe's twin sister. He was pretty funny in that as far as I remember! Random, yes... so hearing him play a guest star in Two and a Half Man doesn't surprise me! LOL..

Nice reference to Team America Pirate Mike!

[The Postmaster General]

I caught that Two and a Half men appearance, having never seen the show, when flipping channels and catching the closing credits. It was a "WTF" moments seeing Charlie Sheen, Costello and Penn on The CW at 11pm.

[Buck Turgidson]

The original question was less about him being an asshole and more about him saying he hated acting. A lot, and I mean a lot, of excellent actors, (some of whom are and were Sean's friends), seem to feel the same way. Brando did, so did Klaus Kinski.

Some of that is likely feeling that it's somehow an unmanly way to make a living, but there is also the fact that Penn's problems, and he's gone on record at length about this (Bubba's recommendation is absolutely dead on), are with the movie industry itself, rather than the profession. I think he hates having to Be An Actor more than he hates acting.

[echo_bravo]

I cringe just thinking about Sean Penn playing Tyler Derden. He doesnt have the charisma or sense of humor that Brad Pitt has. He also isnt as physically fit as Pitt. Honestly, do you think Penn could match Pitt physically for that role?? I highly doubt it.

[The Postmaster General]

What would have been cool in Fight Club is if Tyler had been played by The Rock or some guy twice the size of Norton, and then no one wanted to join Fight Club because they'd be like, "What the fuck man, you'll totally just kick my ass." So instead Tyler has to wear a mask and fight crime. And instead of having insomnia, the Narrator has ED, and at the end he realizes what's going on when he's watching Tyler fucking Marla, while bragging about his size, and she's like "What do you mean? You're not that big."

[xseanymacx]

IInto the Wild was pointless and tasteless. I was very much put off by the cheesy script and Thoreau quotations and over-the-top plot twists and "symbolisms". If he considered that project close to his heart, then I would say that he isn't highly evolved intellectually. God did I hate that movie.

Over-the-top plot twists?

What film did you see? This movie is an adaptation of a biography written by the actual character. Someone did all that traveling/surviving in real life. He occupied his time and probably kept his sanity by reading Thoreau.

Dumb post.

[QUENTIN]

8-year-old post and me in all caps, hah. Things certainly were different around here back then.

I think Sean Penn is one of the best actors working and has been pretty consistently excellent for 25 years. He seems to not have much of a sense of humor (the Jude Law Oscar comment was a WTF moment) but pretty much everything else he's been criticized for, activism especially, I've got no problem with. So not an asshole in my book, and a pretty solid director too.

[hasselbrad]

I cringe just thinking about Sean Penn playing Tyler Derden. He doesnt have the charisma or sense of humor that Brad Pitt has. He also isnt as physically fit as Pitt. Honestly, do you think Penn could match Pitt physically for that role?? I highly doubt it.

Egggg-zactly.
For me, Penn is overrated as an actor because he seems to utterly lack a sense of humor. He brings nothing but intensity to his roles.

As for 'hating acting'... he sure doesn't seem to hate the spotlight that gives him a platform for espousing his political beliefs. Would Hugo Chavez meet with Sean Penn the bus driver... or mechanic?

[The Heart Collector]

I remember when Penn was trying to film a documentary about Katrina aftermath and was having a hard time with his boat or something - everyone made fun of him, and said what a prick he was and so forth. He's been dogged pretty much his entire career one way or another, probably because of his persona people thought he welcomed it. To me, Penn gives it as good as he takes it.

Ugh, that was the worst.

"HAHAHA LOOK AT SEAN PENN, ISNT IT FUNNY HOW CLUMSY HE IS while trying to do something good, while i sit on my ass in front of a computer and insult him."

[jeo4]

If he didn't come off as such a smug prick in every aspect of his life, maybe people wouldn't laugh at him when he fucks up.

[cl0n3b4by]

haha I remember when he was introducing his movie and the way he talked was so weird. You could tell the drugs in the 80s took a toll on him, he was so out of it.

But yes he seems like a prick.

[hasselbrad]

Ugh, that was the worst.

"HAHAHA LOOK AT SEAN PENN, ISNT IT FUNNY HOW CLUMSY HE IS while trying to do something good, while i sit on my ass in front of a computer and insult him."

His efforts might not have been so comical if he'd actually planned for more than a PR photo op. He showed up with a bass boat loaded down with a personal photographer and forgot to put the plug in.

[tbone]

the dude has never shown to have a sense of humor so he certainly seems like an a-hole