Sean Penn

Chemicals doc hu experimment<div>
</div><div><div>ctor Sean Penn is the force behind a new major documentary called The Human Experiment that aims to raise awareness about toxic chemicals in everyday products.</div><div>
</div><div>Narrated by Penn, the film tells the personal stories of people who believe their lives have been affected by chemicals and takes viewers to the front lines as activists go head-to-head with the powerful and well-funded chemical industry, the filmmakers said.</div><div>
</div><div>Members of the nonprofit Teens Turning Green appear in the trailer, with an impassioned voiceover of a youth saying, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention to what’s going on.” </div><div>
</div><div>Directed by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy Jr., the film marks the third collaboration for Nachman, Hardy and Penn. The trio collaborated on the documentary Witch Hunt.</div><div>
</div><div>The film is screening at festivals this fall, with wider release likely next year. Its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival in California sold out earlier this month</div><div>=</div><div>
</div><div>=</div><div>Stratfor provides intelligence for corporations such as Coca-Cola, Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, as well as to US government agencies. Their analysts are cited in major media outlets around the globe. In the same email thread regarding a State Department source's “take on [Bolivian President Evo] Morales,” Stratfor operative Korena Zucha calls Morales a “4th grade educated, narco-trafficking, murderous thug” whose actions are protected by the “left-leaning MSM [Mainstream] media.”The <a href="http://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/1142108_re-insight-bolivia-st-dept-source-s-take-on-morales-.html" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">email goes on to state</a>: “His rhetoric is anti-US and anti-Capitalism, so he is the darling to the ultra-left and self-hating US citizens (Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Oliver Stone, etc.)...his 'Mother Earth' Summit [aka, vehement anti-US, anti-Capitalism (specifically targeting Coca Cola), anti-UN, pro-coca (sic cocaine) and narco-trafficking platform that was embraced by 22,000 anti-US, left-wing anarchists in attendance].” </div><div>=</div><div>
</div><div>International (later called S2i), provided a range of services to a host of clients. According to its <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/04/Daron-GP-Work-Report.pdf" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">billing records</a>, BBI engaged in "intelligence collection" for Allied Waste; it conducted background checks and performed due diligence for the Carlyle Group, the Washington-based investment firm; it provided "protective services" for the National Rifle Association; it handled "crisis management" for the Gallo wine company and for Pirelli; it made sure that the Louis Dreyfus Group, the commodities firm, was not being bugged; it engaged in "information collection" for Wal-Mart; it conducted background checks for Patricia Duff, a Democratic Party fundraiser then involved in a divorce with billionaire Ronald Perelman; and for Mary Kay, BBI mounted "surveillance," and vetted Gayle Gaston, a top executive at the cosmetics company (and mother of actress Robin Wright Penn), retaining an expert to conduct a psychological assessment of her. Also listed as clients in BBI records: Halliburton and Monsanto.</div><div>=</div></div><div>
</div><div>Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-filmref-1" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a> is an American actor, film director and political activist. He has won two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Actor" title="Academy Award for Best Actor" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Academy Awards</a>, for his roles in the mystery drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_River(film)" title="Mystic River (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Mystic River</a> (2003) and the biopic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk(film)" title="Milk (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Milk</a>(2008).Penn began his acting career in television with a brief appearance in a 1974 episode of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_House_on_the_Prairie(TV_series)" title="Little House on the Prairie (TV series)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Little House on the Prairie</a>, directed by his father <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Penn" title="Leo Penn" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Leo Penn</a>. Following his film debut in 1981's drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taps(film)" title="Taps (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Taps</a> and a diverse range of film roles in the 1980s, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Times_at_Ridgemont_High" title="Fast Times at Ridgemont High" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</a>, Penn garnered critical attention for his role in the crime drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlito%27s_Way" title="Carlito's Way" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Carlito's Way</a>(1993). He became known as a prominent leading actor with the 1995 drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man_Walking(film)" title="Dead Man Walking (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Dead Man Walking</a>, for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Bear_for_Best_Actor" title="Silver Bear for Best Actor" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Best Actor Award</a> at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/46th_Berlin_International_Film_Festival" title="46th Berlin International Film Festival" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Berlin Film Festival</a>. Penn received another two Oscar nominations for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Allen" title="Woody Allen" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Woody Allen</a>'s comedy-drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_and_Lowdown" title="Sweet and Lowdown" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Sweet and Lowdown</a> (1999) and the drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Sam" title="I Am Sam" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">I Am Sam</a> (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 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Actor_Award(Cannes_Film_Festival)" title="Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Best Actor Award</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannes_Film_Festival" title="Cannes Film Festival" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Cannes Film Festival</a> for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Cassavetes" title="Nick Cassavetes" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Nick Cassavetes</a>-directed<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She%27s_So_Lovely" title="She's So Lovely" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">She's So Lovely</a> (1997), and two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volpi_Cup" title="Volpi Cup" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Best Actor Awards</a> at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice_Film_Festival" title="Venice Film Festival" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Venice Film Festival</a> for the indie film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurlyburly(film)" title="Hurlyburly (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hurlyburly</a> (1998) and the drama <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_Grams" title="21 Grams" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">21 Grams</a>(2003).Penn made his feature film directorial debut with 1991's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Indian_Runner" title="The Indian Runner" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Indian Runner</a>, followed by the drama film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crossing_Guard" title="The Crossing Guard" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Crossing Guard</a> (1995) and the mystery film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pledge(film)" title="The Pledge (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Pledge</a> (2001). In 2002, Penn directed one of the 11 segments of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11%2709%2201_September_11" title="11'09"01 September 11" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">11'09"01 September 11</a>, a compilation film made in response to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" title="September 11 attacks" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">September 11 attacks</a>. His fourth feature film, the biographical drama survival movie <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild(film)" title="Into the Wild (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Into the Wild</a> (2007), garnered critical acclaim and two Academy Award nominations.In addition to his film work, Penn is known for his political and social activism, most notably his criticism of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Bush_administration" title="George W. Bush administration" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">George W. Bush administration</a>, his contact with the Presidents of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela" title="Venezuela" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Venezuela</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Cuba</a>, and his humanitarian work in the aftermath of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hurricane Katrina</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake" title="2010 Haiti earthquake" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2010 Haiti earthquake</a>. Penn also attracted media attention for his previous marriages to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna(entertainer)" title="Madonna (entertainer)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Madonna</a> and actress <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Wright" title="Robin Wright" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robin Wright</a>.<div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 7px; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; display: table; zoom: 1; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><h2 style="color: black; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>  [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Early_life" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1 Early life</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Career" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2 Career</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Acting" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2.1 Acting</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Directing" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2.2 Directing</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Personal_life" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Personal life</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Political_and_social_causes" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 Political and social causes</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Criticism_of_President_Bush" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.1 Criticism of President Bush</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Hurricane_Katrina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.2 Hurricane Katrina</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Support_for_same-sex_marriage" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.3 Support for same-sex marriage</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#2010_Haiti_earthquake:Manager_of_relief_organization_and_tent_camp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.4 2010 Haiti earthquake: Manager of relief organization and tent camp</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Pakistan" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.5 Pakistan</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Release_of_Jacob_Ostreicher_from_Bolivian_prison" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.6 Release of Jacob Ostreicher from Bolivian prison</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Controversies" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5 Controversies</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Defense_of_Hugo_Ch.C3.A1vez" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.1 Defense of Hugo Chávez</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Falkland_Islands_controversy" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2 Falkland Islands controversy</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Oscar_green_card_joke" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.3 Oscar green card joke</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#Filmography" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">6 Filmography</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#See_also" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7 See also</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#References" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">8 References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">9 External links</a></li></ul></div></div><div>
</div><div>...</div><div>On October 18, 2002, Penn placed a US$56,000 advertisement in the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Post" title="Washington Post" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Washington Post</a> asking then <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">George W. Bush</a> to end a cycle of violence. It was written as an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_letter" title="Open letter" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">open letter</a> and referred to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq" title="2003 invasion of Iraq" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">planned attack on Iraq</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terror" title="War on Terror" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">War on Terror</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-usatoday-32" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[32]</a> In the letter, Penn also criticized the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Bush_administration" title="George W. Bush administration" class="mw-redirect" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bush administration</a> for its "deconstruction of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_liberties" title="Civil liberties" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">civil liberties</a>" and its "simplistic and inflammatory view of good and evil."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-33" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[33]</a> Penn visited Iraq briefly in December 2002.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-usatoday-32" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[32]</a> "Sean is one of the few," remarked his ex-wife <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna(entertainer)" title="Madonna (entertainer)" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Madonna</a>. "Good for him. Most celebrities are keeping their heads down. Nobody wants to be unpopular. But then Americans, by and large, are pretty ignorant of what's going on in the world."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[34]</a> The Post advertisement was cited as a primary reason for the development of his relationship with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela" title="Venezuela" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Venezuelan</a> president <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez" title="Hugo Chávez" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Hugo Chávez</a>. In one of his televised speeches, Chávez used and read aloud an open letter Penn wrote to Bush.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-congeniality-35" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[35]</a> The letter condemned the Iraq War, called for Bush to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movement_to_impeach_George_W.Bush" title="Movement to impeach George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">impeached</a>, and also called Bush, Vice President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Cheney" title="Dick Cheney" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Dick Cheney</a>, and Secretary of State <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice" title="Condoleezza Rice" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Condoleezza Rice</a> "villainously and criminally obscene people.".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-chavez-36" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[36]</a> In August 2007, Penn met with Chávez in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracas" title="Caracas" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Caracas</a> for two hours, after which Chávez praised him for urging Americans to impeach Bush. Penn also visited a new film studio on the outskirts of Caracas, though he did not speak publicly.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-chavez-36" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[36]</a></div>On April 19, 2007, Penn appeared on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colbert_Report" title="The Colbert Report" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Colbert Report</a> and had a "Meta-Free-Phor-All" versus <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert" title="Stephen Colbert" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Stephen Colbert</a> that was judged by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Pinsky" title="Robert Pinsky" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robert Pinsky</a>. This stemmed from some of Penn's criticisms of Bush. His exact quote was "We cower as you point your fingers telling us to support our troops. You and the smarmy pundits in your pocket– those who bathe in the moisture of your soiled and blood-soaked underwear– can take that noise and shove it."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[37]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[38]</a> He won the contest with 10,000,000 points to Colbert's 1.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[39]</a> On December 7, 2007, Penn said he supported Ohio Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_J.Kucinich" title="Dennis J. Kucinich" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Dennis J. Kucinich</a> for U.S. President in 2008, and criticized Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Penn questioned whether Bush's twin daughters supported the war in Iraq.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hurricane Katrina</h3>In September 2005, Penn traveled to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans,Louisiana" title="New Orleans, Louisiana" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">New Orleans, Louisiana</a> to aid <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane" title="Hurricane" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hurricane</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Katrina</a> victims. He was physically involved in rescuing people,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[41]</a> although there was criticism that his involvement was a PR stunt as he hired a photographer to come along with his entourage.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-42" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[42]</a> Penn denied such accusations in an article he wrote for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Huffington_Post" title="The Huffington Post" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Huffington Post</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a> Director <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee" title="Spike Lee" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Spike Lee</a> interviewed Penn for his documentary about Hurricane Katrina, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Levees_Broke:A_Requiem_in_Four_Acts" title="When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts</a>.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Support for same-sex marriage</h3>
2010 Haiti earthquake: Manager of relief organization and tent campOn February 22, 2009, Penn received the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Actor" title="Academy Award for Best Actor" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Academy Award for Best Actor</a> for the film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk(film)" title="Milk (film)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Milk</a>. In his acceptance speech, he said: "I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone!"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-44" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[44]</a>After the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake" title="2010 Haiti earthquake" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2010 Haiti earthquake</a>, Penn founded the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J/P_Haitian_Relief_Organization" title="J/P Haitian Relief Organization" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">J/P Haitian Relief Organization</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[45]</a>which has been running a 55,000 person tent camp.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[46]</a> Due to his visibility as an on-the-ground advocate for rescue and aid efforts in the aftermath, Penn was designated by president <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Martelly" title="Michel Martelly" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Michel Martelly</a> as Ambassador-at-Large for Haiti, the first time that a non-Haitian citizen has been designated as such in the country's history. Penn received the designation on January 31, 2012.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-47" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[47]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pakistan</h3>Penn gained significant attention in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Pakistan</a> media when he visited <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karachi" title="Karachi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Karachi</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badin" title="Badin" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Badin</a> in 2012. On 23 March 2012, he visited flood-stricken villages of Karim Bux Jamali, Dargah Shah Gurio and Peero Lashari in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badin" title="Badin" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Badin</a> District. He was accompanied by US Consul General Willian J. Martin and distributed blankets, quilts, kitchen items and other goods amongst flood survivors.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-48" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-49" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[49]</a> On 24 March 2012, Penn also visited Bilquis Edhi Female Child Home and met Pakistan’s iconic humanitarian worker <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi" title="Abdul Sattar Edhi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Abdul Sattar Edhi</a> and his wife, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilquis_Edhi" title="Bilquis Edhi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bilquis Edhi</a>. He also laid floral wreaths and paid respect at the shrine of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_Shah_Ghazi" title="Abdullah Shah Ghazi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Abdullah Shah Ghazi</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[50]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-51" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[51]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Release of Jacob Ostreicher from Bolivian prison</h3>Penn is believed to have played a role in getting American entrepreneur <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Ostreicher" title="Jacob Ostreicher" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jacob Ostreicher</a> released from a Bolivian prison in 2013, and was credited by Ostreicher for having personally nursed him back to health upon his release.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-52" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[52]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Controversies</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Defense of Hugo Chávez</h3>In March 2010, Penn called for the arrest of those referring to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Venezuela" title="President of Venezuela" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Venezuelan President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez" title="Hugo Chávez" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hugo Chávez</a> as a dictator.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-53" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[53]</a>The two were friends, and when Chávez died, Penn said: "Venezuela and its revolution will endure under the proven leadership of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_President_of_Venezuela" title="Vice President of Venezuela" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Vice President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicol%C3%A1s_Maduro" title="Nicolás Maduro" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">(Nicolás) Maduro</a>. Today the United States lost a friend it never knew it had. And poor people around the world lost a champion. I lost a friend I was blessed to have."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[54]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Falkland Islands controversy</h3>
In February 2012, Penn met with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Argentina" title="President of Argentina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">President of Argentina</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristina_Fern%C3%A1ndez_de_Kirchner" title="Cristina Fernández de Kirchner" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Cristina Fernández de Kirchner</a> in Buenos Aires where he made a statement on the long-running <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands_sovereignty_dispute" title="Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">dispute</a> between Argentina and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United Kingdom</a> over the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands" title="Falkland Islands" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Falkland Islands</a>, saying: "I know I came in a very sensitive moment in terms of diplomacy between Argentina and the UK over the Malvinas islands. And I hope that diplomats can establish true dialogue in order to solve the conflict as the world today cannot tolerate ridiculous demonstrations of colonialism. The way of dialogue is the only way to achieve a better solution for both nations."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[55]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-56" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[56]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn#cite_note-57" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[57]</a><div>==</div>