Sean Penn

Sean Penn has been named the jury president for this year's Cannes fest, being held from May 14-25. He directed critically acclaimed drama Into the Wild this year and won an Oscar for his role as a revenge-seeking father in Mystic River. Mr. Penn also won the best male performance prize at Cannes in 1997 for She's So Lovely by Nick Cassavetes.

According to the Associates Press:  read more »

Sean Penn and his wife of over a decade, Robin Wright Penn, will divorce, a rep for the famous couple told People. The Into the Wild director, 47, and his actress wife, 41, who began dating in the early 90’s, have two children, Hopper Jack, 14, and Dylan Frances, 16.

This news comes a day after actor Brendan Fraser, 39, and his wife of 9 years, Afton Smith, announced plans to legally end their marriage. A rep for the Mummy film franchise star said: “They continue to maintain a close and caring friendship.”

Sean Penn had hardly ventured into the wild when he delivered his recent speech at San Francisco State University, but the local elements were fierce nonetheless. Just before he had made his sentiments completely clear for the audience, a member of the school’s student Republican organization stood up, faced the rest of the crowd and held up protest signs. Then, a supporter of presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich confronted the protester mano-y-mano. (Gusty on both counts!)

Mr. Penn’s diatribe, which can be read in-full here, addresses all manner of political topics—from President George W. Bush’s “great enemy in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez,” to Hillary Clinton. Near the end of the 2,000-word speech, around the time he was interrupted, he asks his listeners to approach the senator from New York warily. “Let's remind our friends in the social circles of New York and the highbrow winner-friendly and monied major cities that support Mrs. Clinton, that this is not Bill Clinton,” the actor says, moments later adding: “[D]on't underestimate personal agendas, those that initiated NAFTA, betrayed Haitian refugees and gay rights in the military within a minute of his own election. Don't underestimate that part of him when he gives his wife the face of his talent.”

It looked on Friday night as though the 15th annual Hamptons International Film Festival were going to be a washout. Torrential rains slowed traffic to a baby crawl on the Long Island Expressway, and by the time it was a little before 7 p.m., the assorted bedraggled paparazzi were fidgeting and joking among themselves at the sight of the empty red carpet at the East Hampton Cinema on Main Street, the hub of the festival.  read more »

It looks like Resident Evil: Extinction (#1) will not be following its own advice. After a $24 million dollar opening weekend, the Sony franchise based on a video game looks like it is here to stay. And it appears New Yorkers are just fine with that: the movie grossed a very respectable $337,000 at 9 theaters over the weekend.

But the big story for Manhattan box office continues to be the success of Eastern Promises (#2) and Across the Universe (#3).  read more »

From green trees to green screen, Emile Hirsch stars in Into the Wild and next year’s quasi-cartoon Speed Racer.  read more »

Sean Penn, once the chain-smoking enfant terrible of the Toronto Film Festival, has redeemed himself with a stellar adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s best-selling adventure book.  read more »