Sean Penn to be honoured at France’s César awards

The 40th edition of the awards, which will be held in Paris on February 20th, will honour Penn’s impressive career over the course of the past three decades.

“A mythical actor, an activist and an exceptional director, Sean Penn is a standalone icon in American cinema. A living legend,” France’s Academy of Cinema, which organises the César awards, said in a statement.

Penn, 54, first began working in film during the early 1980s, earning recognition for his roles in such movies as “Taps” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. Over the next 10 years, he would star in a string of films, establishing himself as a serious actor.

By the 1990s, Penn was working alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names. In 1993 he starred in Brian De Palma’s gangster flick “Carlito’s Way” with Al Pacino. Two years later, he earned his first Oscar nomination for his role in the drama “Dead Man Walking”. He also won acclaim for his performance in Woody Allen’s 1999 film “Sweet and Lowdown,” for which he picked up two more Academy Awards nominations.

Meanwhile, Penn began dabbling in directing. He made his debut behind the camera with 1991’s the “Indian Runner” before directing Jack Nicholson in his 1995 film “The Crossing Guard”.

Despite past nominations, Penn won his first Oscar in 2004 for his performance in Clint Eastwood’s “Mystic River”. Five years later, he took home his second Academy Award for best actor for his stirring performance in Gus Van Sant’s “Milk”.

Although best known for his work in film, Penn has also earned a reputation for his political and social activism. An outspoken critic of former president George W. Bush’s administration, Penn openly opposed the US’ involvement in Iraq. He has also used his celebrity to vocalise his support for same-sex marriage, as well as raise awareness about other social issues.

In the wake of Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake, he founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization, a non-profit that provides aid to those affected by the disaster.

With the announcement that Penn is to be honoured as this year’s “living legend” at the Césars, he joins a selective list of American actors to receive the award. Past honourees include Scarlett Johansson, Kevin Costner, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp.