It’s nearly 10am, and Sean Penn is not thrilled to be here. He admits it’s his own fault for sleeping with the curtains closed last night. To lighten the mood, he slips into a funny impression of a groggy man being abruptly awakened. Now, he longs for daylight.
We decide to leave Off the Record, a basement bar at Washington’s esteemed Hay-Adams hotel, and make our way to a room on the third floor. Penn’s publicist quickly moves the room service breakfast out of the way, apologizing for her unmade bed. The 63-year-old actor settles into an armchair by an open window, basking in the sunlight that dances across his chiseled features. Sipping on a bottle of Sprite, he says contentedly, “I’m available whenever you need me.” These words surely make his scheduler nervous.
Penn is in Washington, D.C. to promote “Superpower,” a documentary he co-directed about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of the Russian invasion. After a screening of the film, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi embraced him tightly, exclaiming, “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.”
Not everyone is as gracious when it comes to Hollywood actors delving into geopolitical affairs. Celebrity status can both open doors and close minds. For those who remember the 1980s, Penn may be known as the actor who played stoner and surfer Jeff Spicoli in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” He also spent 33 days in jail for assaulting an extra and went through a highly publicized marriage and divorce with Madonna.
Now, four decades later, his hair is white, but he remains a prominent method actor with Oscars under his belt for “Mystic River” (2003) and “Milk” (2008). In a profile by Variety magazine, it was noted that in “Superpower,” there may be too much of Sean Penn being Sean Penn in a war zone. Penn anticipates this criticism in the film as he parodies an imaginary critic, asking, “Who do you think you are? Walter Cronkite? Do you have a savior complex?” His response: “I’m curious… and sometimes I feel I can be helpful.”
He’s got the receipts to prove it. Frustrated by the inadequate search and rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Penn bought a boat, reached survivors, provided them with financial aid, and transported some to hospitals. In 2010, following an earthquake that left thousands homeless in Haiti, he built a camp, launched a charitable organization, and lived in the country for months at a time.
Today, dressed in a dark jacket, blue shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers, and just a three-minute walk from the White House, Penn addresses the skepticism surrounding his humanitarian work with an aphorism: “I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.”
He elaborates, “People are willing to admire actors to a certain extent. But then they fall back on the cliché: all of them are rich. The celebrity versus the actor or the artist, or whatever it may be. I don’t have the time to defend myself against that anymore.”
“I’ve been to many interesting places, and I’ve had unique experiences because of the access I have. Even when I’m doing something that could be considered journalism, I don’t feel obligated to a certain journalistic style that exceeds my abilities. My talent lies in my curiosity. Despite the criticism I’ve faced, I’ve kept almost no visual records of it. Because I know that if there’s a camera with me, people assume I’m trying to get attention.”
Initially, Penn did not plan to be on camera in “Superpower,” but faced challenges securing funding for the film. So, viewers see him interacting with Zelenskiy, wandering through the deserted streets of Kyiv during the invasion, and relieving his security team by venturing into trenches alongside Ukrainian soldiers reminiscent of the Somme.
Penn gifts one of his Oscars to Zelenskiy and receives the Order of Merit in return.
Photograph: Presidential Press Service Handout Handout/EPAPenn, who made seven trips to Ukraine, explains, “Documentaries are difficult to fund these days. It would have been nearly impossible without me being on camera. So, I decided to let anyone who wants to join me and see what I see.”
One interesting twist in this actor-activist’s story is that the main subject of his film is an actor-turned-politician. “Superpower” meticulously showcases archived clips of Zelenskiy’s past as a comedy star, playing the piano with his penis and portraying a fictional Ukrainian president in the TV series “Servant of the People.” Like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, Zelenskiy demonstrated the power of on-screen charisma when running against the political establishment.
This aspect initially fascinated Penn, as his previous film projects on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi failed to take off. “On the surface, it seemed like the world was shifting towards a new era of populism,” Penn says of Zelenskiy. “But that’s not what I discovered.”
“Since 2014, something interactive has been happening in Ukraine, reinventing the country and its image through the eyes of young people and their young president.”
Has Zelenskiy’s background as a performer been instrumental in rallying Western support and winning the information battle against the Kremlin? “I would say that his performance skills were complemented by his generous heart, which led him to become a performer. Acting is the go-to. They did it with Reagan.”
In a deep voice, Penn impersonates film director John Huston, saying, “Having an actor in the White House is one thing. Having a bad actor is another.”
Continuing in his own voice, Penn states, “The Ukrainians have a genuinely talented actor in their presidential palace. But before he was an actor, he was a good communicator. He saw the reality and significance of things in people. He saw it through the lens of humor and bravery as a man. He has taken on this challenge just as the Ukrainian people have faced their challenges, in a way that inspires the entire world. We can’t let that go. It’s important medicine for all of us right now.”
Due to the pandemic, Penn did not meet Zelenskiy in person until February 23, 2020. Filming for “Superpower” began the following day, which happened to be the same day Russia initiated its invasion. Some Ukrainians interviewed by Penn doubted Zelenskiy’s ability to stand up to Vladimir Putin.
But when Penn met Zelenskiy in the bunker of the presidential palace, he discovered that Prince Hal had transformed into Henry V. “It’s as if he was meant for this moment. It was incredibly moving. While there are undoubtedly brave leaders across the globe, he’s facing an enemy with nuclear weapons right on his doorstep. It’s a new challenge.”
Penn’s admiration for Zelenskiy, whom he entrusted with one of his precious Oscars for the duration of the war, is only matched by his disdain for Putin. “If Putin were to die of natural causes, my reaction wouldn’t differ if he were stripped naked and slowly burned with cigarettes, while people defecated on him until he had nothing else to eat. It would be the same. I don’t consider him to be one of us.”
Initially, the West cautiously responded to the situation, fearful of provoking Putin and potentially triggering a third world war. However, gradually, the tide has turned. By July of this year, the US had provided over $75 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military assistance to Ukraine. The US also indicated that it would allow European allies to supply American-made F-16 fighter aircraft. Penn, who has advocated for these fighter jets, believes that more decisive and comprehensive action is necessary.
“I use the word cowardice…
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