Profile Text
Penn in 2013, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Sean Justin Penn
Place of Birth: Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: August 17, 1960
Ethnicity: * father – Ashkenazi Jewish * mother – Italian, Irish
Sean Penn is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and political activist. He has won the Academy Award for Best Actor , twice, for Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008), and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another (2025). His roles also include the films Taps , Fast Times at Ridgemont High , Bad Boys (1983), Crackers , Racing with the Moon , The Falcon and the Snowman , At Close Range , Shanghai Surprise , Colors (1988), Casualties of War , We’re No Angels (1989), State of Grace , Carlito’s Way , Dead Man Walking (1995), U Turn , She’s So Lovely , The Game (1997), Hurlyburly , The Thin Red Line , Sweet and Lowdown , Up at the Villa , I Am Sam , 21 Grams , The Assassination of Richard Nixon , The Interpreter , The Tree of Life , Gangster Squad , The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , The Gunman (2015), which he co-wrote; Licorice Pizza , and Asphalt City . He has directed the films The Indian Runner , The Crossing Guard , both of which he wrote; The Pledge , a segment of 11′09″01 September 11 ; Into the Wild , the latter two of which he also wrote; The Last Face , and Flag Day , which he starred in; and co-directed the documentary Superpower . He has also directed numerous music videos.
Sean is the son of actor and director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan (born Eileen Annucci). He is the brother of musician Michael Penn and actor Chris Penn . His father was Jewish, the son of emigrants from Russia and/or Lithuania. His mother, who was raised Catholic, was of half Italian and half Irish ancestry.
Sean has two children, model Dylan Penn and actor Hopper Penn, with his former wife, actress Robin Wright . Sean’s brother Michael is married to singer and songwriter Aimee Mann .
Sean’s mother had said that his father could have had Sephardi Jewish ancestry, as the family’s original surname is said to be Pinon.
Sean’s paternal grandfather was Moische/Maurice Daniel Penn (the son of Heyman Penn and Bebka/Lillian/Lilian Cohen). Moische was a Jewish emigrant, born in Meretz, Merkinė, Varėnay, Lithuania.
Sean’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Marion Melincoff (the daughter of Maurice/Morris Melincoff/Malinikoff and Sarah Wintrop/Wolftroud). Elizabeth was a Jewish emigrant, from Russia or Lithuania.
Sean’s maternal grandfather was Americus William Annucci (born Amerigo Giuseppe Annucci, the son of Federico/Francisco Annucci and Sofia/Sophia Bettini). Americus was born in New York, to Italian parents. Federico was born in Potenza, Basilicata, the son of Antonio Annucci and Gratzia Cappobianco. Sofia was the daughter of Luigi Bettini and Vincenza D’Antonio.
Sean’s maternal grandmother was Rose Isabel Ryan (the daughter of Thomas John Ryan and Mary Sheehan). Rose was born in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York. Thomas was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of Robert Ryan and Catherine O’Brien. Mary was born in Keeseville, Essex County, New York, to Irish parents, James Sheehan and Jane Collins.
Sources: Genealogies of Sean Penn – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com
Sean’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Sean’s paternal grandparents, Moische/Maurice Daniel Penn and Elizabeth Marion Melincoff – https://www.familysearch.org
Social Security record of Sean’s paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Marion (Melincoff) Penn – https://www.familysearch.org
Sean’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Sean’s maternal great-grandparents, Federico/Francisco Annucci and Sofia/Sophia Bettini – https://familysearch.org
Sean’s maternal grandmother, Rose Isabel Ryan, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org