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EXCLUSIVE: Sean Penn won’t attend the May 20th Cannes premiere of his political movie Fair Game because, ironically, of his social activism. He has been asked to appear before a U.S. Senate Committee hearing focused on the crisis in Haiti. Penn has made himself a very visible participant in the disaster relief effort there since the earthquake. Fair Game debuts In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and is being sold overseas by Summit International. Director Doug Liman will be attending with Naomi Watts, who stars as Valerie Plame. Penn played her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson.
The actor is the 2nd significant figure to bow out of the festival. Director Ridley Scott was unable to attend the opening night premiere of Robin Hood after painful knee replacement surgery. Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, and Brian Grazer carried on in Scott’s absence.
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I wish we would focus on our own problems instead of fixing the world. Why do these celebs never have their “causes” for america?
Yea, I totally agree. We should totally leave Haiti on their own. Penn should host a golf tournament benefiting an art foundation. Come on dude.
Missionaries and celeb activists never want to get their hands dirty in their own country. Use some of that money to help create some jobs.
I take it you haven’t seen Sean Penn’s activism in New Orleans post-Katrina? Sometimes people just see what suits them.
Then again, some of us see a world beyond our passports and look at problems wherever they are, regardless of man-made borders.
@johns: What a bunch of self centered, arrogant, right winged Nazis some Americans have become. Why don’t you go back watching Glen Beck, make your tea party signs and STFU.
@Carlito: Create jobs!!! Since when is it a celebrities duty to create jobs, shouldn’t the government do that. On the other hand what do you think movies are, they are jobs for hundreds of people, did you ever sit through the credits at the end of a movie, all those people had a job because the movie was made.
It’s not the government’s responsibility to create jobs either.
Actually, I think he and a lot of other famous people have been very involved with New Orleans after Katrina.
The situation in Haiti is still dire, imagine facing hurricane season living in a tent, a lot of those tents are made only of sheets and pieces of plastic. Hundreds of thousands of people are living like that now, they’ll never get shelter for them in time, that’s the next big disaster waiting to happen http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1989131,00.html Just because the news stops covering a disaster doesn’t mean it’s over. If it takes a celebrity to bring some attention to a coming disaster well, fine, whatever it takes.
The US and American people have pledged and given a lot of money to Haiti following the quake, for once we should follow through and make sure the money actually goes to people in need and problems get fixed for good. The situation is still terrible, the press has moved on, Sean Penn seems sincere, what on earth is the complaint if he helps to keep interest in this story alive? It’s in everybody’s interest that the ball isn’t dropped this time.
Sean Penn did a lot of wonderful work helping people in New Orleans after Katrina and got a lot of negative comments from conservatives for it, and lies were told on Fox news about it all. I don’t think it matters to conservatives what someone like Penn, or any celebrity does, if they are not voting Republicans. Unfortunately, conservatives politicize even things people are doing for the good of others.
@johns: they do, you just don’t pay attention and tell them to mind their own business and stick to acting (like just now). Not to mention that “their” problems are eventually our problems as well.
And what, Sen. Reid should direct Penn’s next film…?
There are a lot of causes for “America” dont be ignorant—-plus if you haven’t noticed–we’re doing pretty well for ourselves compared to places like Haiti. We need to realize its our world–we should care about everyone. Lets not all be ethnocentric.
Congrats Sean part of the Congressional Record again, live forever on paper.
Sean volunteered doing the Katrina episode.
His testimony will ensure the money is going where it should.
Green Party rules.
Hollywood should stick to the profession they do better than anyone else in the world: pretending
Sean Penn is an idiot not focusing on his own career in this economy. Plus this whole Haiti thing is over rated! They already have plenty of help from lots of people. If Penn wants to do humanitarian work, why not put his effort and attention on Darfur where women and young girls get raped on a daily basis and killed with no one in this world helping to stop it, why not ? Because their country is too poor and has no assets so no one thinks these women and girls are important enough to save! Dardur is where Penn should help with his temperment should do some service! And he should stay the hell away from politics!
Volunteering time/money/effort is noble no matter where it’s at – even if it’s motivated by a positive press spin which is pretty common.
That said, I think there is this unspoken perception among many that it’s a greater act the further they or their efforts travel to accomplish their volunteer work. Not to say it’s not needed – particularly in places like Haiti. But building a new school in Africa gets more attention in the media than spending 10 times as much on schools in US cities it seems. Money goes further in these countries and yes, there is probably a larger impact in some respect.
However, one thing I will never understand is the infatuation with the traveling farther aspect to adoption. The US foster care system is filled up with kids needing permanent homes yet most celebrities opt to Go elsewhere. Considering the risks foster kids face in America the question should be asked why they are being passed up. Is there too much red tape here? Is there a bias that US kids come with more baggage (families still in the picture, greater risk of mental issues, etc)? I’m not sure what the reasoning in but it’s not enthocentric to ask why someone adopts an African child when you can find thousands of African American children in need here in American.
I commend Sean Penn for caring about issues that need attention beyond Hollywood and not being some publicity whore appearing at a lame premiere! This country is full of those kind of celebrities (Heidi, Spencer and all those reality idiots). Jeesh, some of you people are so retarded, it is a miracle you can even get by! I think it is great that he feels the need to look past himself and help with the bigger picture, whatever that might be. God bless him, we need more people in the public eye to be less self- involved, whatever their politics.
So a guy uses his own name recognition, hundreds of hours of his own time and his own money to help out some folks whose despair and living conditions are so far removed from anything 99% of Americans will ever suffer and all some of you can see is some sort of personal aggrandizement or unnecessary political “meddling? No words.
Bravo to Sean Penn! He doesn’t get near enough recognition for his charitable efforts in the U.S. and abroad. Clearly, he’s one celebrity who truly has his priorities straight. It’s admirable what he’s been doing in Haiti. Shame on you self-centered ignoramuses who don’t understand how human beings are all connected.
why cant a celeb have a cause. do you know what the taxes are on a $200 millon film. a lot. now think of the movie star that gets paid $20 millon,first thing is the IRS takes 50% right away. then they owe their agent 10-15%. then they spend the rest on houses, cars ,food, clothes, local and state taxes. thiers your jobs. think before you run your mouth people! Sean Penn is COOL.
Anybody talking shit about Sean Penn’s work in Haiti can go to hell. Honestly, what are YOU doing to help others? I don’t care what you THINK his motivations are – he’s doing it.
And yes, he helped in Katrina too. And I had to hear all these talk radio jerks making fun of him for it. Yeah, it’s wrong for an actor to get involved. Unless it’s Reagan. Or Heston.
If Sean Penn was a Republican, doing exactly what he’s doing now, you’d be giving him awards for it. He’d be on Fox News every night as a example of a “good” celebrity. But you don’t like his politics, so you talk shit about the good work he’s doing. He’s helping to save lives. You’re talking smack in a comments section. So why not either say “thank you,” or just STFU.
Calling people ignorant over their skeptisism of his motives for his volunteer work is just that – ignorant.
I’m sure he is sincere in wanting to help. However after his Katrina ‘let’s show up with a half full boat of photographers and document what I’m doing’ stunt it’s hard not to question his motives. Not to mention his support of Venezualan and Iranian dictators who have been accused of crimes against their people who have spoken against their regimes. Oppression in those countries is well documented yet he sides with their charismatic oppressors instead of helping the people who really need it. Ironically his own words against our own government is a freedom that those in those countries are being oppressed over and that they don’t have.
still lolling about Penn’s boat sinking in N.O.
the guy is a total douchebag, if you can’t see it I worry about you
Don’t worry about us. Worry about yourself. For obvious reasons.
Sean Penn’s a sincere, compassionate guy trying to help people who really need help. What is the problem? Do you get how petty, jealous & bitter you sound — johns, B., etc.?
Who are you people to question another person’s motives for good works? A month in the mud, raising money and delivering basic services while you.. you, what have you done? What, did Drudge link to this page? Fuck all you knuckle-dragging greedy rightwing morons!
sean penn is an ignorant, violent, communist so guess it makes perfect sense that he would be asked to go to DC. instead of our government focusing on sean penn maybe obama should get his ass to arizona and try to fix the illegal problem down there. oh thats right it will never happen because its not in his best interest; might lose a vote.
First, be thankful that we live in a country where we CAN choose to support a cause. Second, Sean Penn and every other American has the right to support whatever group they want — foreign and domestic. And third, if you think Sean Penn should support another group — get off your lazy ass, become an activist yourself for the cause you believe in and do something about it. It’s not Sean’s responsibility to be YOUR voice. Sean Penn’s movies create hundreds of jobs, of which I’m sure those people were thankful for.
I am glad that Sean Penn does humanitarian work. I just questioned why he is being called to testify before a Senate Committee. I am quite sure that there are an infinite number of people more qualified and who were in Haiti even before the current tragedy. If the senators feel his celebrity will draw attention to their hearings, unfortunately, I believe Penn’s support of dictators like Chavez tends to polarize people’s view if him, negating any positive influence he might have.
God Bless Sean Penn..