Sean Penn has shared his thoughts on the shooting of Charlie Kirk.
The actor and political activist plays a ruthless white supremacist in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie, One Battle After Another, which follows a group of ex-revolutionaries.
Asked about the film’s growing cultural relevance, Penn said he was “not surprised at all” by Kirk’s murder.
“Like a lot of people, I’ve been worrying that this kind of horror was moving towards coming into fashion,” he told Vanity Fair.
Noting that the shooting had occurred just 24 hours before the interview took place, Penn added: “It’s disturbing enough that I would say I’m still processing it. And what its implications are.”
Penn has long been as outspoken in politics as he has been in Hollywood, often criticizing President Donald Trump in public comments.
On Trump’s COVID-19 response, Penn said it felt like “vulnerable communities … were being gunned down from the White House.” He described the Trump administration as “obscene” and said that truth and reason were assaulted under it.
Over the years, the actor has met with controversial world leaders, including Cuba’s Raúl Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, drawing both praise and criticism. More recently, he has been an ardent supporter of Ukraine, frequently visiting the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion and even presenting one of his Oscars to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kirk, a conservative influencer and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10. Police have since charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder.
Kirk’s death has prompted widespread mourning and outrage from both sides of the political sphere.
At his public memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, on Monday, Kirk’s widow forgave her husband’s killer in front of tens of thousands of people, before President Donald Trump declared his “hate” for his opponents in a contrasting, politically charged speech.
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Trump has previously blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s death, and threatened to go after liberal organizations and donors or others who he feels are maligning or celebrating the right-wing figure’s death.
Federal investigators have found no evidence linking Robinson to left-wing groups, three sources told NBC News.
“Every indication so far is that this was one guy who did one really bad thing because he found Kirk’s ideology personally offensive,” one person said.
One Battle After Another is released in theaters September 26.
