Claim: Sean Penn has acted in 13 films.
Evidence: Following his film debut in the drama Taps -LRB- 1981 -RRB- and a diverse range of film roles in the 1980s , including Fast Times at Ridgemont High -LRB- 1982 -RRB- , Penn garnered critical attention for his roles in the crime dramas At Close Range -LRB- 1986 -RRB- , State of Grace -LRB- 1990 -RRB- , and Carlito 's Way -LRB- 1993 -RRB-.
He became known as a prominent leading actor with the drama Dead Man Walking -LRB- 1995 -RRB- , for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination and the Best Actor Award at the Berlin Film Festival.
Penn received another two Oscar nominations for Woody Allen 's comedy-drama Sweet and Lowdown -LRB- 1999 -RRB- and the drama I Am Sam -LRB- 2001 -RRB- , before winning his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 for Mystic River and a second one in 2008 for Milk.
He has also won a Best Actor Award of the Cannes Film Festival for the Nick Cassavetes-directed She 's So Lovely -LRB- 1997 -RRB- , and two Best Actor Awards at the Venice Film Festival for the indie film Hurlyburly -LRB- 1998 -RRB- and the drama 21 Grams -LRB- 2003 -RRB-.
Penn made his feature film directorial debut with The Indian Runner -LRB- 1991 -RRB- , followed by the drama film The Crossing Guard -LRB- 1995 -RRB- and the mystery film The Pledge -LRB- 2001 -RRB-.