By Adrienne Papp

Not that it would be a concern to anyone, but Sean Penn is not a showy and conceited exhibitionist that some of  the well known actors have a tendency toward, which their fans sometimes even fancy and certainly mimic.  Instead, he is a cool, down to Earth guy who makes it a point to go unnoticed in public if he only can!

Penn is known in Hollywood as an intense film actor capable of unforgettably moving performances and who has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life, political viewpoints and a certain non-conformist approach.

Despite his obvious celebrity “vibe,” intensive energy and unique chain-smoking habit, or as expressed in the media: his addiction to nicotine, I would call it a non-conformist approach to life, he is humble and caring. Someone you would call a true humanitarian!

Penn manages to go incognito driving a beat up car that looks more like a movie prop and pulls absolutely no attention at all, but only because there is seemingly no one who makes it a point to look at their fellow drivers on the PCH! Yet, Sean Penn got too much of a presence for any lively soul to miss him despite the old car, the baseball heat and the sunglasses. His driving style gives out the same intense energy that he himself projects.  “I’ve been a road-rat since I got my driver’s license at 16, so I’ve probably gone across America 20 times,” he says.

I was one of those people who did not mean to notice him, but could not help it! Sean Penn is a work of art!  He does not need to say a word, or do anything much, his presence is enough!

Of course, he also has an enviable record in making films.  As an actor he first appeared in Taps in 1981, and then as the too cool for school surfer dude Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982.  It was a performance that became part of the culture, and propelled him to stardom.

Which is not necessarily what he wanted.  For Penn, craft has always been the motivator.   “I became an actor because of Robert De Niro,” he says.

The 1990s was a decade in which Sean received a lot of critical acclaim as a mature, versatile and accomplished actor, with a string of dynamic performances in first-rate films.

With frizzy hair and thin rimmed glasses, make up and wardrobe making him look like an authentic Jewish New York attorney, Penn delivered a brilliant performance as a corrupt lawyer in Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way opposite Al Pacino, which was followed by a Death Row inmate pleading with a caring nun to save his life in Dead Man Walking in 1995, resulting in his first Oscar nomination. Penn then continued to an exceptional career path with perfect choices of characters.  I still have the script of Dead Man Walking signed by him, Susanne Sarandon and the director. Someone somehow made a mistake and when I lived at the Chateau Marmont, the script was on my desk in the room one day. I do not know to this day what happened.

Sean followed that performance with a role as Michael Douglas’ brother in The Game (1997) and a key role in the star-studded anti-war film The Thin Red Line in 1998.

More recently Penn received his third Oscar nomination for I Am Sam (2001) and won an Oscar as an anguished father seeking revenge for his daughter’s murder in the gut-wrenching Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River.  He received accolades and a second Academy Award for his role in Milk in 2008,the story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official.  Penn has never been one to shrink from challenging roles, and he has been recognized by his peers as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

As we got into a great car chase for a good half an hour on the PCH we  came close to saying hello to one another. But, that might have required a collision.

I have been pulled over a few times for speeding, and I know he had a run-in with the law at some point for reckless driving, but this time I thought if I get yet another ticket it will be worth it.

I enjoyed the chase , the incognito, the ‘reckless” driving style of very impatient people who really do not have the time to stick to the speed limits, or stop at every stop sign. He made that half an hour a lot of fun for me.

Wanting to be mostly invisible in public is fully justified: it is an international epidemic that celebs get torn apart wherever they go. And, even worse, one word taken out of context, or one bad photo, and the tabloid creates a spiraling untrue story only so that these less than ethical publications can sell their papers. And, obviously on the part of the celebrity paying no attention to all that nonsense is easier than fighting it, as these hard working stars hardly have the time for a decent enough private life let alone fighting with the tabloid.

Is this media frenzy around celebs pathetic? No, I think it is worse than that, I think it is desperate sensationalism that has become a cultural habit!

Why is it of any news channel’s business to know who does what outside their jobs, celebrity or not? God forgive me, but I never understood how any channel could make it their business to report on anyone’s private life! Why is that okay?

Excuse my ignorance but is there any reason besides profits to do all this? And, is this ethical?

Anyone going against these principles I believe is just wrong and I will say that no matter if the “Keeping Them Honest”  news channel, or the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” reality show have a different point of view on all this because instead of the bull they just should come up with a matching content to their titles and really keeping them “honest” (for the first time since man walked the Earth) and for those who got nothing better to do than keeping up with the Kardashians. I’ve got five diplomas and I still do not get the meaning of all this. Or, maybe I just cannot keep up?

What captivates me about Sean Penn is that he is one of those really talented megastars, who also really cares, but without the show, and rather just through real work. Let’s not make philosophies about what the World needs, but instead put the bandages where they are needed, and this time let’s go even further: let’s actually work on getting these people real help and not just bandages!   He does care for Haiti and other charities with complete sincerity, rolling up his sleeves, getting hand on with the locals and pleading for help on the silver screen instead of throwing a red carpet “patronage” for one charity or another serving mostly star publicity, which cost a fortune all by itself rather than much anything else. There are of course serious charities endorsed by celebrities but they tend to really walk the walk  instead of talking the talk.

Thankfully Sean Peen is on my side, or so I think.  I bet, he would not want to have a fun-based, foregone conclusion type of red carpet dinner about Haiti, or a scripted reality show, but rather gets on with actual down and dirty work.

Putting his full passion into the relief effort, Sean founded the J/P HRO Haitian Relief Organization in the wake of the January earthquake and has spent months helping to rebuild the Caribbean nation.

As a result of his honest determination and effort, Sean Penn’s charity efforts in Haiti are now receiving substantial aid, including a donation by former U.S. President Bill Clinton of $500,000 to the actor’s cause.

The Clinton Foundation‘s donation will go towards a camp in Petionville, which is run by the Penn’s organization.  Even though the efforts in Haiti will have to continue for many years, Penn appreciates all the aid and support that has come his way. “The support of President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation is an extraordinary boost in our organization’s ability to continue its work in Haiti,” he says.

When it comes to creative talent in Hollywood, there are actors and actor’s actors, and then there are those people who do it all, whose talent and passion transcend simple categorization, who become a representative spokesperson for their industry and even their country.

Sean Penn is one of the few people in Hollywood who fits that category.  Not only does he have an enviable record as an actor and director, he has recently earned the respect of fans outside the entertainment community, like Bill Clinton, through his efforts to help relieve the misery and human suffering. Not a bad cause to chose as one of many true meanings of one’s life!

About the Author of This Article:  Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, West Side Today among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles / New York-based publicity company, Atlantic Publicity and publishing house, Atlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities, world leaders, inventors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. She also owns Atlantic United Films that produces and finances true stories made for theatrical release or the silver screen. Spotlight News Magazine is owned by Atlantic United, Incwith Adrienne Pappbeing the majority shareholder.

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By Adrienne Papp

“It could be a great example in our crazy world for politicians and countries to use a little creativity along with leadership.” Clint Eastwood

“ Il buono, Il brutto, Il cattivo” alias The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, was a big hit movie in 1966 that started Clint Eastwood’s career as an instant International star, but it wasn’t the only role that found him second fiddle to Richard Burton in those days. A tough-guy action hero with an offbeat humor, an exceptional talent, and later on, a brilliant director, Clint Eastwood has made his mark in the World as a living legend and a never-before icon who has set a standard in Hollywood that is truly unmatched by anyone else.

Nominated for an Oscar, six wins and six nominations, The Bridges of Madison County, which he not only directed but also starred in opposite Meryl Streep, was the most successful romantic drama of our generation.

This kind of love happens once in a lifetime if one is lucky, but expressing this on the big screen with seemingly little or no action to go on makes Eastwood the ultimate director of all times. Playing away from typecast, he proves himself diverse yet again with only one of the exact same ingredience as before: Excellence.

Charting onto tougher life-lessons, Eastwood then acted and directed arguably the best picture of his life, Million Dollar Baby, expressing the everlasting sorrow produced by a painful estrangement from love by blood, – which then translates into a lost, but “tough” soul that has been seeking forgiveness for the past 25 years, despite the façade of a “Hell, do I care…” attitude. A critical and commercial triumph, the movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as earning Eastwood a nomination for Best Actor and a win for Best Director.

Both these movies linger with the soul for a lifetime. And, in one word, that is the trademark of Clint Eastwood.

The fact that he directed 9 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances just speaks about the magnetism and charisma he has on or off screen. Not a huge surprise then, that Clint Eastwood has again directed a new film that is vastly different from any other previous work.

This time the main character is Nelson Mandela in a breathtaking true story given life by such exquisite actors as Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in Invictus where the story is wrapped around rugby, a very popular sport in South Africa.

“This project wasn’t approached because of rugby, like Million Dollar Baby was not approached because of female boxing either. It is the story of the use of the game, – that’s what attracted me to the project and rugby. I like the game. The point however is that I try to tell about rugby as accurately as possible, but at the same token, the story is about the use of the game for reconciliation in a country that was on the verge of civil war when Mandela took office.”

As obvious as history shows us, there must have been traps and possible held backs  with such a task, which must have posed a need for a delicate balance for him as a director.

“Mandela knew that the white population still controlled the army, the economy and the police, – so he made the statement ‘We need every brick to build the country, regardless of what color it is.’ – and he did do. Yet, he did not strip a lot of the government offices, which is what politicians usually do, in which he is obviously a superior person, despite that he was in prison for 27 years.  The normal human emotion would have been to come in and be vengeful, – I think,” he says.  “Come in and strip everything down, – like we do it in this country, – but Mandela sort of looked at the bigger picture of everything. That is what attracted me to the story, and in fact it was almost one of the biggest obstacles to not make him too Christ-like, – but he is,” Clint concludes with a laugh-like smile. That famous one that supports what he means, yet charms you to your core, topping it with a voice that resonates with just the right decibel of authority and kind, unimposing intelligence. In other words, the qualities that make someone powerfully charismatic, yet deeply humble.

There is an understanding in Clint Eastwood that bubbles to the surface, but is hidden enough for the audience to discover layer after layer about the message unfolding in his films, unexpectedly reaching the deepest level of emotions in viewers. It’s a little bit like he seems in real life: starting a sentence, but then giving it up because there is just too much to say all at once and it is almost better to drop it and start anew scattering it all at once until one big painting becomes a Picasso. That is where genius is born.

When discussing the success of Mandela we touch on various points as to whether or not he was the ultimate success. “He wasn’t successful in his marriage,” Clint says, “in his relationship with his daughter, and other children he had. And, I think he has, I am told, a lot of regrets about that, but he also came in and said, he was going to serve one term and that is it. And, I know how that feels.”

While religion and culture separates people, this famous ’95 rugby event really did bring people together in a way that sport seldom does. They were dancing in the streets together and everybody was having a great time. You had not seen blacks playing rugby before 1995, but now you do in the fields everywhere, although not always in uniforms.  It is something people continue do to this day, thanks to the events of 1995.

Whether or not it is more difficult to portray a real story on screen than fiction depends on how well written the script is and whom one works with. On this film all of Clint’s actors were professional rugby players with just a few exceptions.

To the question as to whether or not he will play another role in one of his upcoming movies, which there is yet another one in the making right now, the answer is, “ Oh, I do not know. I never know what the last one is going to be, but I am at the age where they do not write a lot of great roles for people and I am happy in the back of the camera where I do not have to wear a tie and nobody is coming in saying ‘this won’t match,’ so there is a lot of advantages.”

What would he want the audience to capture from this latest movie?

“I would like the audience to understand this very unique kind of mentality that Nelson Mandela had… and think about it in terms of the whole world, – if we could solve a lot of problems in a non-military way, this would be a great example.”

Clint Eastwood, a five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and People’s Choice Award winner, continues to fascinate through his movies, always conveying a message that touches us deeply with lingering thoughts that only an artist with the deepest understanding can create. He is someone who continues to write entertainment history with every role he plays and every film he directs.

About the Writer: Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles/New York-based publicity companies, Atlantic Publicity andAtlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities and world leaders. She also owns Spotlight News Magazine.

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Courtesy of Adrienne Papp

By Adrienne Papp

Since the Academy’s inception in 1987, BAFTA / LA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) has consistently presented a varied and innovative program that inspires and advances creative works, and embraces, supports and honors the wealth of creative talent in the US and California communities. The past twelve months has seen BAFTA / LA present another successful year of programming, all of which begins with the dedication and hard work of the BAFTA / LA Members serving on the Board and Committees.

The year started with the Annual Awards Season Tea Party held in the luxurious surroundings of the Beverly Hills Hotel. A staple fixture in the industry calendar, the party honors nominees from around the world, and provides a unique afternoon of British themed food and drink for those seeking a respite from the hectic Awards’ season. Once again the turnout was laden with filmmakers from all areas of the industry, and amongst those sipping tea and eating fish & chips were Clint Eastwood, Leonardo Di Caprio, Danny Boyle, Ron Howard, Stephen Daldry, Tom Wilkinson, Marisa Tomei, Alexandre Desplat, Viola Davis, Freida Pinto, Paul Bettany, Saffron Burrows, and Josh Brolin.

Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller and Teri Polo at BAFTA dinner

Later in the year, BAFTA / LA hosted a second Tea Party to celebrate the year’s achievements in television and to honor those Commonwealth and British-born individuals nominated in the Emmy Awards. Both Tea Parties shine a spotlight on the success and creative accomplishments of the peers, rewarding their film and television work while inspiring their colleagues and members to continually expand their own creative visions.

Emily Blunt at BAFTA dinner

Much of the proceeds raised from the events’ silent auctions are invested into BAFTA / LA’s Education and Outreach program, which continues to flourish. BAFTA / LA awarded British film students at UCLA, and in June they presented emerging filmmakers with the BAFTA / LA student awards.

To inspire and celebrate scholars and students, BAFTA / LA held a special screening of Anvil! The Story of Anvil, directed by the former UCLA scholar, Sacha Gervasi and all was thrilled to note that the evening energized and inspired many Members to offer their time and support to further expand the organization’s work.

In an exquisite dinner setting, on November 5, this year’s honorees were, Kirk Douglas for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment; Danny Boyle for Artistic Excellence in Directing; Emily Blunt for British Artist of the Year; Robert De Niro for Excellence in Film and Colin Firth received the BAFTA / LA Humanitarian Award.

Kirk Douglas receives BAFTA awards from the Governor

The Host for the evening was Stephen Fry and the events was sponsored by British Airways, Volvo, American Airlines, Asprey, Beefeater 24, and Stefan Johansson Vaxjo.

Among the presenters were Ben Stiller, Claire Danes, Amy Adams, Benicio Del Toro, Ewan McGregor and Tom Ford.

About the Writer: Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles/New York-based publicity companies, Atlantic Publicity andAtlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities and world leaders. She also owns Spotlight News Magazine.

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By Adrienne Papp

The film festival at Cannes has always been one of the world’s most glamorous events. As a showcase of international films, movie stars and the talent that create them, the week-long cinematic extravaganza has no equal when it comes to putting on a party. It’s an event that attracts jet setters from all over the world, and the international filmmakers and stars are feted at countless awards dinners and ceremonies.

This year, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the eagerly awaited fourth installment on the series created by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, was the key premiere event of the festival.

As the biggest film festival in the world of film, Cannes was the ideal place to premier the first Indiana Jones film in nearly 20 years. Leading up to its premiere, big budget action/adventure tour de force generated intense media speculation, and hordes of international paparazzi swarmed director Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Harrison Ford and the film’s other stars wherever they appeared during the festival.

The festival closed with Wim Wenders’ film The Palermo Shooting, but local favorite Entre les Murs (The Class) got a standing ovation when it won director Laurent Cantet the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the festival, beating out twenty-one other entrants. It was the first time a French film has won the prize for best picture in twenty years.

In addition to France’s winning entries, Italy’s filmmakers were also well received at Cannes. The Grand Prix, the festival’s runner-up award, went to Matteo Garrone’s dramatic Gomorra, a film based on Roberto Saviano’s bestselling book about the Mafia in Naples.

This year Angelina Jolie set off an explosion of flashbulbs at the Chinese-themed beachside festivities for “Kung Fu Panda,” where she arrived with Brad Pitt and costars Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford and companion Calista Flockhart were besieged by media as they celebrated at glitzy Hotel du Cap during the week, and took part in the festivities for Dennis Hopper’s 72nd birthday party aboard a yacht.

Other awards were voted for two industry veterans doing work characterized by jury president Sean Penn as being “so rare and so important.” One recipient was Catherine Deneuve, star of Arnaud Desplechin’s “A Christmas Tale,” a memorable drama about a weeklong family reunion during the Christmas holidays. The other recipient was Clint Eastwood for directing “Changeling,” a drama made with his solid low key acting and directing skills. Also, in honor of the 85th anniversary of Warner Bros., the festival featured 10 of the studio’s films at public screenings on the beach.

The festival at Cannes is always star-studded and glamorous, but it’s also an active business setting. This year a weak dollar meant good news for U.S. media companies looking for distribution. In the international film market, where the vast majority of sales are generated by Hollywood for foreign markets, the current exchange rates can only provide a boost to the film business in the U.S.

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