Sean Penn: His Life and Times - Softcover

Kelly, Richard T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1841957399 ISBN 13: 9781841957395

Publisher: Canongate U.S., 2005

Synopsis

Brash, iconoclastic, controversial, intelligent and "the best actor of his generation," all have been used to describe Sean Penn. Throughout his remarkable career in the dramatic arts, as well as his occasionally explosive personal life, Sean Penn has proved he rarely plays by the rules. A tumultuous marriage to Madonna, stints in jail, and other forms of hell-raising marked Penn's younger years, along with some stunning performances on film. Later, Penn emerged as a brilliant director, devoted father, contentious political activist...and reluctant actor, capable nevertheless of breathtaking performances (Dead Man Walking, Sweet and Lowdown, Mystic River, and 21 Grams). Illustrated with over seventy-five black and white photographs and drawing on exclusive interviews with Penn and his family, friends and colleagues (Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Woody Allen, Susan Sarandon, Bono, Christopher Walken, Angelica Huston, and many more), Kelly creates an engaging, richly detailed and multi-faceted portrait of an uncompromising American artist in this exclusive and engrossing authorized biography.

About this title

About the Author:

Richard T Kelly is the author of the novels Crusaders (2008) and The Possessions of Doctor Forrest (2011). Eclipse, his first script for television, aired on Channel 4 in 2010. He has written several studies of filmmakers: Alan Clarke (1998), The Name of this Book is Dogme 95 (2000), and the authorized biography Sean Penn: His Life & Times (2004). In 2007 he edited Ten Bad Dates with De Niro: A Book of Alternative Film Lists. He blogs at http://richard-t-kelly.blogspot.com.

From Publishers Weekly:

Like its subject, Kelly's biography of the idiosyncratic Oscar winner pulses with insight. Composed as an oral history, film writer Kelly's book boasts the full participation of the actor, whose volatile relationship with the press initially gained him more fame than his talent. Penn's skills manifested themselves early on: as a 14-year-old extra for a Little House on the Prairie episode, Penn refused to eat lunch because "I thought you should stay with your character in the situation." Featuring commentary from Penn's entire family (including wife Robin Wright Penn but minus his late father, actor/director Leo Penn) and actors like Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper, Kelly's book forges further beyond the usual Hollywood bio by interviewing several men Penn has portrayed in film (such as convicted spy Andrew Daulton Lee, whom Penn played in 1985's The Falcon and the Snowman). "He wants the tough substance," television executive John Sykes says, an observation that may seem obvious in light of Penn's challenging films and his burgeoning political involvement, but that in the context of this book, which also highlights Penn's repeated reluctance to act, deepens the portrait of the actor. Structured chronologically, the book may offer opportunities for Penn's less rapturous fans to skip over certain sections, but the oral history format—so well suited for a subject who engenders countless stories—is perfect here. Photos.
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About this edition

• Publisher: Canongate U.S.
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1841957399
• ISBN 13: 9781841957395
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 512