As it turns out, the odds-on Best Actor favorite were right. Sean Penn won his second Oscar – his first was for Mystic River in 2003 – and now he’s won his second for his performance as gay-rights advocate and San Francisco city council member Harvey Milk.
Penn showed up to the ceremony with his stunning wife (estranged wife? Who knows?) Robin Wright Penn. In his acceptance speech, Penn first said “Oh, you commie homo-loving sons of guns…I know how hard I make it to appreciate me.” Penn had a prepared speech and he thanked a number of people I didn’t know. He thanked Gus Van Sant, the director of Milk, and Sean noted “there are no finer hands to be in.”
Then Penn got political. Sean mentioned “the signs of hatred” outside of the auditorium, which either means one of two things – either people were actually protesting outside of the auditorium, or Sean was talking about the larger “outside”, as in out in the world, in our country.
He spoke of the backers of Prop 8 (the California ballot initiative “banning” gay marriage, which passed in November) as “their great shame… of denying people equal rights… they should sit there and think quietly about [what they did].” Sean said he was proud that America “elected an elegant man” for president. Then he ended his speech thanking the fellow nominees, or “artists”, with a special thank you to “my brother… Mickey Rourke rises again.”
Penn is generally known as the best actor of his generation, and this second Best Actor Oscar seems to show that mainstream Hollywood agrees with those sentiments. It would have been nice to see Rourke win, but Penn’s performance got a boost from the recent gay-rights drama surrounding the November election and the Prop 8 “anti-gay” legislation in California.
The only major awards that Penn had won for Milk were the Critics Choice and the Screen Actors Guild awards. Mickey Rourke had won the other awards (BAFTA, Golden Globe, Independent Spirit) for his performance in The Wrestler. There was talk of some kind of dramatic Oscar feud between the two actors, but those rumors were dismissed weeks ago, and Rourke seemed happy with Sean’s win.
Congratulations to Sean Penn!
Sean Penn did cover a lot of territory in his acceptance speech, but I was disappointed that he failed to mention his lovely wife, Robin Wright Penn (who looked classy and gorgeous) or his children. For some reason, this actor does not impress me nearly as much as some other Oscar-less actors, even though he is very talented and skilled at his craft.
Mickey Rourke should have won.
I liked how he tried to make a statement in his acceptance speech (especially about that particular issue), but I still think Mickey Rourke deserved the Oscar.
They look good together, Sean and Robin, I’m glad they’re still partnering and its nice to see he’s still with someone his own age. Sexy man.
I am so disappointed that Mickey didn’t get it.
The Oscars have become so political. Yes, it is important to encourage equal rights, but give the Oscar to whom it’s due.
Sean couldn’t even bring himself to be a decent man and thank his wife.
The Oscar should have gone to the best actor and in this case a really deserving guy who is honest and able to transcend a “performance” into a completely different level.
Milk deserved an Oscar, not Sean Penn.
I was SO disappointed he didn’t mention Robin as well! I kept waiting for him to say her name (and among the 50 others he mentioned, I thought I may have just missed it), but I too was disappointed in that!
Yeah, I agree. I thought the end of his first sentence, “I would like to thank my best friend…” would end with “my wife who has stuck with me through the good and the bad.” The least he could do after she took him back last year after his public appearance with a model would be to thank her. It was very glaring the way he cut her out and the way she almost had to force him to kiss her as he went up to accept the award.
I can’t believe he didn’t thank his wife and kids. What a dick!
His wife was standing right in front of him with tears in her eyes, she went through so meny things because of him…he does not even thank her!!! Shame on you Sean! He does not deserve her.
I think Mickey Rourke performance was way better and more touching. This so disappointing…
When Sean Penn didn’t thank his wife, I have to say it just reminded me why I’ve never liked this guy. When he started out saying, “I want to thank my best friend…” I thought I heard someone in the audience sort of say “Awww” in anticipation of how sweet it was going to be when he mentioned his wife, Robin. I was shocked when someone else was apparently his best friend! What a slap! Poor Robin. I would be crushed if my husband thought of someone other than me as his best friend.
Oh dear….Sean,
You are indeed a great actor, but clearly less than an elegant man…so far…..maybe, before you are done…you will find your way clear to a sincere nod to those who love you despite everything ….and remember to say thank you….maybe you will learn a thing or too from an amazing guy like Paul Newman..or maybe even from one like Harvey Milk.
I absolutely love Sean Penn – He’s an amazing talent & we’re so very fortunate to watch him every time he appears on screen. HOWEVER I am disguisted that he failed to mention his kids & his wife. She was right beside him, so so proud & gleaming with happiness for him. I would love it if anyone has any kind of explantion for this? Like – he apologized after? Anything would be appreciated.
I am very dissapointed that Rourke did not win. I saw both Milk and The Wrestler. Rourke’s performance stayed with me and I really cared about his character. You can tell he gave it his all. So the guy is a little loopy and has a crotch touching issue, there is no denying his vunerability and talent.
Sean Penn is without a doubt fully committed to his craft and is a real artist. Althoug he could have thanked his beautiful wife who has tolerated more from him than she sould have. Big actors with huge egos; what are you gonna do?
I just hope Mickey keeps moving upward and continues becoming schooled in playing whatever game you have to play so he can continue to get great parts. Most of all my wish is that he stay out of trouble!
The political rant was unnecessary. Lance Black delivered a beautifully poignant speech dedicated to changing the public opinion on gay marriage, spoken from the heart of an openly gay man. Sean Penn played a gay man. Take the gold statue, thank the people who put you there and sit down. He rambled on and on and quite frankly, his time up there would be better served thanking his wife and family. This just seemed crass and ruined his win for me. I agree with the poster who commented that Mickey stayed with them after the film. I felt that way too and would have much preferred to hear his dedication to his dog over Sean’s verbal diarrhea….
I think he meant Robin when he said his best friend.
And I think he said the signs were outside as they were arriving to the awards. So an actual protest was going on.
Can anyone tell me whether he bothered to thank his wife or his kids at the SAG OR the Critics Choice Awards? Again…I love him, but c’mon how hard is it? I agree with the comment above, it ruined his speech for me.
Sean Penn didn’t ramble.
And everyone should stand up and demand equal rights for gay people, not just the gay people themselves. You think straight people aren’t allowed to support equal rights?
It’s ridiculous that anybody here cares whether he thanked his wife. Did she look angry? No! I am sure he discussed with her beforehand that he wanted to use his time at the podium to talk about these issues. I am sure she knows that he is grateful. I personally would have liked to see Mickey Rourke win but I knew Sean Penn would give a speech that was, IMO, dead on when it comes to HUMAN rights. Congratulations, Sean!
Mickey Rourke was robbed. Penn maybe a great actor, he’s still a major douche.
Brilliant actor! He deserved it. I wish he would leave the politics at home though, or write a book or something. No need for ‘preaching’ at the Oscars. Especially from mega millionaire actors.
I would have liked to see Michey Rourke win this oscar. Sean Penn is a great actor, but I am truly tired of him always trying to shove his political views down other people’s throats. What a pretentious douche bag!
I thought Penn overacted in Mystic River and was disappointed in his win, but not his acting skills.
In Milk … Penn was Harvey. His behavior, disposition, character … were perfectly delivered. This is Penn’s signature role.
I can’t help but think within the LA community they knew an error had been made in placing Crash above Brokeback and it wasn’t going to happen again.
Penn’s speech was great, and as a California mom with a gay son, it’s time for equal rights … here and everywhere in the US.
Congrats and thank you Sean.
Sean is a really great actor. His performance in “Milk” is outstanding. And in these days a little political touch fits very well to hollywood movies.
Sean Penn doesn’t impress me much – he always over acts and his performances distract from the movies he is in (and not in a good way). I really think Mickey Rourke’s performance in The Wrestler was outstanding and multi-faceted. The Oscar should have went to him.
Very disappointed for Mickey (still think the more deserving performance) but congrats to Sean, also very well deserved. Re going political, perfectly reasonable for him to mention Prop 8 considering the role for which he’s being honoured and the homophobic bigotry that’s still alive and kicking out there.
I kept waiting for him to mention his wife Robin and it never happened he is a jerk!
I was disgusted by Penns insult on people who voted for Prop 8.
Just because we appose gay marriage does not make us homophobic bigots.
He need wake up and smell the coffee.
Sean is not obliged to talk about his private life (wife, kids, etc), he has the right to talk just about what he wants, it is his winning speach, camon! Give the man a break!
He is talented and totally deserved the award, that’s all it matters.
CB Rawks: No, he didn’t imply that his wife was his best friend. He said, “my best friend, (so and so).” There was no mention of Robin or his family at any point during his speech. And while I agree he’s a brilliant actor, I really believe Mickey should have been the one standing at that podium.
This guy is mega-talented. He is also a mega-douche. Not mentioning your wife, your children…unforgiveable. And not in a Hillary Swank/Chad Lowe way, either, where it was a nervous oversight.
Doesn’t he understand that people don’t give a rat’s fat one what he thinks about politics? He’s so arrogant I guess he doesn’t.
Also, I think Rourke should have won. Totally.
I believe too he should thanked his wife, she looked teary eyed though happy for him. God knows all the crap she has put up with this man! I would’ve preferred Mickey Rourke, even though it was disappointing to see him in those dirty torn jeans!
Robin was probably crying because she was thinking “oh sh*t…he’s totally going to leave me out of his speech and embarrass me.”
Sean Penn…huge talent. Even bigger a**hole!
i, too, think that he perhaps meant his wife when he said “best friend”. he had a pause after that before he said the next name, so i guess it could go either way. i have also read sometimes winners use nicknames or secret names to thank certain people…i’m not sure why, or if sean did this, but it’s a possibility.
that said, i haven’t seen either movie, but i think that although mickey’s comeback is exciting and well-deserved, we wouldn’t be all hopped-up about mickey being robbed if it were any other actor without the personal story.
Okay — yeah, fab actor — and yes, ridiculous he didn’t thank his wife… but what I can’t get over is that he didn’t thank the most important person of all — Harvey Milk himself!!! Unbelievable. I kept waiting for him to thank Harvey… after all, without the man Penn wouldn’t have even been standing there. Please tell me others agree!!
I don’t think he meant his wife at the beginning, there was another name mentioned directly in link with that phrase. And even if it was, he should’ve made it clearer, I’d be devastated of I was left out like that. And after all he put her through and still is according to many (unoffical) sources. I was repelled by the way she had to force that kiss off him, he was clearly not interested in hugging and kissing the people around him before he went up, like e.g. Winslet did, and just sort of struggled by her, eager to get up there and do his performance. so full of himself. I have never liked this guy, even though I can see he’s made some good acting. Can’t say anything about the move, haven’t seen it, but personally I’d have loved to see the come-back champion Rourke win. What a life, what a strenght.
I saw three of the nominees for Best Movie and still believe Gran Torino was the best movie of the year. Also, I knew Sean Penn would win best actor simply because of the part he played. Hollywood leans so far to the left that any movie about homosexuality stands a good chance of winning an award. Clint Eastwood deserved best actor for Gran Torino but knowing Hollywood, the academy will choose a movie about a homosexual over a movie which depicts an old man insulting Asians every time. Eastwood needn’t worry, the box office receipts speak for themselves; i.e.., Gran Torino made more money than Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and Frost/Nixon combined.
Penn is a narcissitic jerk who should move to cuba to be with his mentor – chavez
sean is a great actor but i think he is kind of a dick in real life. i also can’t believe he didn’t thanks harvey milk or his family! by the way, robin looked lovely, although i will always think of her as “buttercup”.
He does not deserve her.
He is a total ASS.
Why doesn’t he just get back together with VERY self centered…MADONNA.
Those two seemed very well paired.
I am guessing his wife is still with him because of their kids….although she truly appears to love him.
He does not deserve HER…or their kids.
Mickey Rourke…SHOULD have won !!!!
Sean Penn stands up and talks about how great he is and how people should do this and that maybe he should stop being so amused by himself and so star stricken that he could muster up a little thank you to his hot wife. Get a life Sean who cares about what you think, and stop trying to shove your edeals down other peoples throat.
I personally don’t understand thanking spouses. Your spouse didn’t help you get the award unless they worked on the film or helped you get the part or helped you work on the part. There is no point o thanking your spouse and I’ve never understood the point of it.
Anyway, I knew Sean Penn was going to win because this is a Hollywood show and Hollywood hates Mickey Rourke. The guy is a douchebag and everyone lets that go because his dog died. The reason why he isn’t famous anymore is because he was a drug addict who destroyed his own life and got his wife on drugs and destroyed hers as well. He was a primadonna on set and as a Method actor, is completely out of it for the duration of filming.
Anyone who had their money on Mickey Rourke clearly knows nothing about Hollywood or about the Oscars.
Sean Penn not only did a brilliant job being Harvey Milk but he also happened to have a political movie come out when those politics were in the forefront.
Maybe he doesn’t need to mention his wife or children. Perhaps he tells them privately every day.
And anyway, I’m glad he made a political statement. I’m sick of people saying that politics doesn’t belong in this place or that. Politics is everywhere, it’s the very thing that governs your world. Get over your hate of it and get more educated about it.
Sean Penn seems to be a man in touch with his craft and the characters lives he works to portray in all of his movies………..
but he appears to be compltely out of touch with his real life…
The one person who is and has been by his side for so many years… Robin Wright ( his wife ) seems to be completely unimportant to him by his subtle actions upon learning of his winning. Subtle actions can say reaveal so so much….
When he won, he immedietly got up and didn’t look at his wife, she had to pull him in for a sincere congratulations kiss from her part, but all the while he looked completely uninterested in her affection and looked a million miles away from her in his eyes… he did not even make eye contact with her when he won and when she kissed him…. it’s very sad and disturbing to see.
Then of course he did not take even a quick moment to thank his wife or even acknowledge his children….
like I said… he seems completely out of touch with his own true life….
but yes, a fine actor….
Sucks. They both did an amazing job but I was rooting for Mickey. The Wrestler deserved a nod somewhere and those haughty totty Academy people gave it nothing. Sean Penn and Rourke are both asses in reality, but Rourke has a quirkiness that makes him likeable. He was The Wrestler. He made that movie shine. Milk could have shone bright without Penn. No doubts in my mind.
I love how a movie involving homosexuality that receives recognition suddenly means Hollywood is shoving the views down peoples’ throats. Every movie has a message but we don’t run around screaming about that message as though the point was to brainwash all that watched it – take it easy! Hello, do we know what The Reader was about? Doubt? Controversy is everywhere; it’s about opening our eyes to different viewpoints – afterall, isn’t that why we go to the movies? If you don’t like homosexuality, that’s your business, but you better get used to being in the minority. Equal rights are upon us, whether you like it or not. As someone studying Constitutional Law, this is long overdue.
It’s unfortunate that the clear will of the people still isn’t enough to convince dumbasses like this fool.
NotBlonde: Oh, please. If you don’t like Mickey Rourke, that’s fine. But insulting those of us who were rooting for him just makes you seem mean-spirited, not enlightened. And contrary to your ridiculous implication, I wasn’t supporting Mickey because his dog died. I was hoping he’d win because his performance in The Wrestler was remarkable.
Maybe that means I don’t know anything about Hollywood, but I’d rather be swayed by an actor’s performance than some bullshit Hollywood agenda.
@Quijibo, yes. it does. @Anna, I saw exactly what you did and I was appalled that he would then add insult to injury by not even mentioning her in his speech. Penn was more affectionate to DeNiro than to Robin. Sean Penn is an amazing actor but a total ass. Even his support of Prop 8’s repeal can’t change that. A word to the Milk family during the thank yous would also have been nice
I was expecting “my best friend” to be followed by “my wife” as well.
I don’t get why we celebrate him and are so willing to forget his past awfulness…didn’t he hit Madonna when they were together? Can’t hate Chris Brow forever and forget this d-bag…They’re both reprehensible.
Quijibo wrote: “Just because we appose gay marriage does not make us homophobic bigots.”
Um….voting to deny an entire class of people equal rights? That’s sort of the textbook definition of bigotry.
Rourke’s performance is the performance people will remember. What a travesty.
Penn hasn’t been good since Carlito’s Way. He wasn’t even the best performance in his own film (Brolin and Franco). And it is odd that Penn didn’t mention his kids or wife.
Actually, people who knew Harvey say that Penn played Harvey NOTHING like the man, but more “effeminate” and “typical”. Be honest. Penn’s role wasn’t worthy of nomination–he’s not even the best performance in his own film. Furthermore, Rourke’s performance is one for the ages. It is ROURKE who will be remembered long after Milk and Penn have been forgotten.
Ranke: I watched the documentary The Life and Times of Harvey Milk and, in the documentary anyway, Sean Penn was pretty much Harvey Milk.
Codzilla: I don’t know why you think I was personally attacking you…I wasn’t being mean-spirited toward anyone.
I don’t know Mickey Rourke so I don’t dislike him or like him. I just knew he wasn’t going to win because everyone in Hollywood knows about his personal life and they weren’t about to give the Oscar to someone like him.
Sorry if it felt like a personal attack but there were a million Rourke sympathizers going on about his dog and how he deserved to win because his dog died. And going back to your comment, you never mentioned anything about him winning because of the dog, so why take personal offense? I wasn’t even talking about you.
quijobo, it kinda does.
ugh, i hate sean penn and his douchbaggy holier-than-thou ways. i almost think not thanking harvey milk is a bigger gaffe than not thanking robin.
“Anyone who had their money on Mickey Rourke clearly knows nothing about Hollywood or about the Oscars.”
This is a condescending remark, and seeing as I was one of the people who was hoping Mickey would win, I took offense. And since pretty much everyone in Hollywood is a drunken jackass (including Sean Penn), claiming that Mickey never had a chance because of his past behavior doesn’t make sense (at least to me).
Anyway, let’s just agree to disagree. And I’m sorry if I was overly bitchy in my initial comment.
Wished Brad Pitt or Mickey Rourke would have won. Sean Penn is an ass.
I just don’t understand why Sean who tries to save the world cannot be little compasionate with the mother of his kids and the woman who obviously loves him.
Sean Penn has only two characters…
The ‘I Am Sam’/’Milk’ goofy,affected persona, and his real, jerk self. How would he know that someone is elegant, anyway? Robyn Penn is the posterwife of
women who should walk away quickly. Diane Lane too.
Ev’s about Robin….I’m surprised he didn’t thank Lohan. We all know he’s been bangin’ her for a while now.
Sean Penn has flagrantly cheated on his wife for years, generally with 20-something model/actress types. It doesn’t surprise me that he wouldn’t thank her at an awards ceremony. It just wouldn’t occur to him to do so. That would show a measure of appreciation and respect he just does not have for her (or probably for any woman). I’m on board with him politically, but his sanctimony, infidelity and grandstanding are unappealing.
Maybe it’s the dog lover in me, but I think it’s perfectly reasonable that Mickey Rourke should have won because his dog died. Didn’t Elizabeth Taylor win the Oscar for Butterfield 8 because she had been very sick in the hospital and didn’t Russell Crowe lose it for A Beautiful Mind because he menaced a Hollywood exec?
Before Penn began his speech he locked eyes for an extended moment with his wife. It was touching, albeit brief. It was a look that meant more than saying her name, perhaps. I loved Rourke in The Wrestler, but I don’t think that role was nearly the stretch for him that Milk was for Penn. Would’ve been happy to see him win too. Thought all the nominees were great picks.
Okay, let’s get back to the kiss. Sean Penn practically pushed Robin away as she kissed him. That and the fact there was no thank you makes my stomach turn. And someone suggested he was trying to use his time valuably and probably discussed leaving her out!! That is ludicrous and even if that imaginative story is true it is NO excuse to not thank the woman who has been by his side for so long. Madonna was right to have left him…look what she would have to put up with. Oh and Mickey should have won.The award to Sean was definitely influenced by politics.
How do you guys know that Robin wasn’t the one who fucked the relationship up?
One word describes Sean Penn “narcissist”, just up there to spread his beliefs. Why do movie stars insist on doing that could it be for the guilt they feel for making tons of money for really doing nothing that helpls mankind. Or better yet is it the these entertainters want more self adulation. By the way didn’t Sean Penn hit a photograher and call him faggot?
One thanks one’s spouse because the way partners generally feel about one another makes the intense work of filming and subsequently promoting a film a HUGE imposition on the marriage. Married people generally share, support, and sacrifice through EVERY major accomplishment together. That’s why doctors, servicemen & women, etcetera generally thank their spouses at promotions or celebrations of large accomplishments.
No. The spouse didn’t make the film, attend classes at med school, or fight in the war…but without the partnership that makes life, for those of us who are partnered, worth living…those accomplishments wouldn’t mean the same thing they mean.
Single people and people who have a detached sort of relationship have very different goals and ways of looking at life’s achievements. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just different.
THAT’s why people thank their spouses…and it’s why people who don’t have close marriages can’t fathom a purpose behind doing so.
I am disgusted with the political rant of this waco Penn, just who the hell does he think he is? to be pointing finger and saying people who voted yes on prop 8 should be ashamed and so forth,I voted yes, so what at least I’m not a hipocrit like him, hanging with dictator Hugo Chavez who by the way dislikes gays,I really can see the two faces of this SOB.
Personally, I don’t know what kind of guy Sean Penn is. Having not seen either “The Wrestler” or “Milk,” I can’t comment on who should have won Best Actor.
However, I will say this in defence of Sean Pean (for all of those name-callers): When New Orleans was a wreck after Katrina, Sean Penn went there on his own accord (without inviting press), pulling people from the filthy waters – even if he had to go into the waters himself. That’s got to say something about the man.
bluebayo…point taken re N.O. However, charity begins at home. However, what is says about the man is this: if he can’t even give a gratuitous shout-out to his wife who’s stood by his mean-spirited ass, and his children, then all that other stuff amounts to mere posturing. Sean Penn doesn’t have an honest bone in his body!!
This bastard couldn’t even thank his wife. So sad.
j. ferber….so true what you said, especially beacsue I happen to personally know that he definitely cheats on his wife openly…. I was a dancer a few years back and did a bachelor party for some of his bay area wealthy friends who tried to find out if I would do escort work for Sean Penn, he was supposed to be in town the next week… His friend told me his prefernces… blonde sweet girls in their twenties… I fit the bill, but never called his friend back….
Long story short… he doen’t have any respect for his wife….
very sad for Robin Wright, who I think is absolutely beautiful and also a very talented actress…
oh and Breederina…. glad you saw what I did! such a let down because I want to like Sean Penn….
but it’s like he said… he makes it really difficult to do so!
Sean Penn, while he is a jerk, had a good reason not to thank his wife. She asked him not to. He explained this very clearly shortly after the Oscars.
My daytime job other then my vintage website is i put jewelry on celebrities for events and red carpet. We dressed Robin Penn with the bracelet she is wearing, Jewelry By Rosalina.
He should have won for hypocrite of the year with his portrayal of an anti gun lobbyist while he was toting a loaded shotgun in New Orleans.
Of course she should divorce him. He’s an intellectually dead shiferbrains. She should show she has sense and boot him