He is Madonna's first husband and is known for his leftism: Who is Sean Penn?

Oscar-winning actor and director Sean Penn joined Jimmy Kimmel's TV show to promote his documentary "Superpower" about the Russia-Ukraine war.

While describing his documentary, the American artist spoke highly of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski and said that "he is an incredibly original person."

63-year-old Penn talked about his meeting with Zelenski in Kyiv in his talk show broadcast on ABC. He stated that after discussing how Zelenski would take part in the documentary, they woke up the next morning to the sound of rockets in the city.

Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won Academy Awards for his roles in the mystery drama Mystic River (2003) and the biopic Milk (2008).

Penn's Ukrainian documentary "Superpower" will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Actor's life story

Sean Penn was born in Santa Monica on August 17, 1960, the second son of actress Eileen Ryan and director Leo Penn. His father, Leo, was the son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and Russia. His mother, Eileen, was a Roman Catholic of Italian and Irish descent.

Penn grew up in Santa Monica, in the same neighborhood as Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, sons of veteran actor Martin Sheen. He spent his childhood shooting various short films with "Super 8" cameras. His aim at a young age was to study law, but he changed his decision and applied to the Los Angeles Repertory Theater. With his application approved, he went to Los Angeles and received acting training from Peggy Feury.

He gave his first professional performance in the TV series Barnaby Jones. He settled in New York and acted in a theater there. He became famous in 1982 with his role as Jeff Spicoli in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He played a similar character in the 1983 prison drama Bad Boys. These films, which were not very successful at the box office, were enough to focus the attention of critics on Sean Penn. He was a hit with his role as a drug-addicted government agent in John Schlesinger's 1985 political drama The Falcon and the Snowman.

Sean Penn became one of the most important items in the tabloid press during the years 1985-1989 when he was married to pop star, Madonna. The couple, who starred together in the 1987 film Shanghai Surprise, divorced after the film collapsed at the box office.

Showcasing his acting talent with the 1988 film Colors, Penn produced his best work to date. Brian DePalma's Vietnam tale Casualties of War and the Robert De Niro comedy We're No Angels proved that Sean Penn is one of Hollywood's smartest and most talented actors.

He built The Indian Runner, which he wrote and directed in 1991, on a visual style reminiscent of John Cassavete films. He announced that he quit acting in order to devote himself more fully to directing and directing the movie The Crossing Guard starring Jack Nicholson. Penn, who received great praise for his death row character in Tim Robbins' anti-death penalty Dead Man Walking, instead of retiring from acting, focused on acting and starred in Nick Cassavetes' She's So Lovely, David Fincher's The Game, Oliver Stone's Each gave unforgettable performances in U-Turn and Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line.

The American actor, who starred in important films such as 2001's I'm Sam, 2003's 21 Grams and Clint Eastwood's Mystic River, 2004's The Assassination oh Richard Nixon, and 2005's The Interpreter, has achieved many successes and won awards throughout his career:

Los Angeles Film Critics Association - New Generation Award (1983) - Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear - Best actor, Dead Man Walking (1995) - Independent Spirit - Best actor, Dead Man Walking (1995) - Cannes Film Festival - Best actor, She's So Lovely (1997) - Venice Film Festival - Best actor, Hurly Burly (1998) - Oscar - Best Actor, Mystic River (2004).

Sean Penn, who once again showed his anti-war and left-wing stance by writing an open letter to US President George W Bush in The Washington Post newspaper on October 18, 2002, asking him to stop the violence by spending $56,000, loves classic cars and bought a 1968 Chevrolet El Comino. 'there is water.

The American actor, who ranked 76th in the British Empire magazine's "Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list, also owns a French Restaurant and bar called Man Ray, in which he partners with Johnny Depp and Mick Hucknall.

Sean Penn lives in Ross, California, with Robin Wright Penn, with whom he has been together since 1991 and with whom they have a daughter, Dylan Francis Penn, and a son, Hopper Jack Penn, before marrying in 1996.

Penn's surviving brother, Michael Penn, was a musician and songwriter who later became a director, and his younger brother, who died on January 24, 2006, was also an actor. (He was known for playing Nice Guy Eddie in Reservoir Dogs and was found dead in his home in Santa Monica on January 24).