Robin Wright Penn

Robin Gayle Wright, (born April 8, 1966) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Jenny in the film Forrest Gump and as Buttercup in The Princess Bride, credited as Robin Wright. She has also been credited as Robin Wright Penn.

Early life

Wright was born Robin Gayle Wright in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Gayle (née Gaston), an Independent Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay cosmetics, and Freddie Gayle Wright, a pharmaceutical executive. She was raised in San Diego, California.

Career

She was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38. [1986]. Wright first became famous on television, playing Kelly Capwell on the soap opera Santa Barbara, which earned her three Daytime Emmy nominations. She shot to stardom after her roles as Buttercup in The Princess Bride and Jenny Curran in Forrest Gump, the latter role garnering her Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Wright was offered the role of Maid Marian in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, but turned it down because she was pregnant. She had to back out of the role of Abby McDeere in The Firm (1993), with Tom Cruise, upon discovering that she was pregnant with her second child (son Hopper Penn). The role eventually went to Jeanne Tripplehorn.

In 1996, she married Sean Penn and changed her name to Robin Wright Penn. The same year she starred in the film adaptation of Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders for which she received a Satellite Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama. She went on to co-star with her husband in the 1997 film She's So Lovely, for which she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress. One of her most recent successes was a supporting role in the TV movie Empire Falls as Grace Roby, mother of Ed Harris's character Miles Roby. Wright received her third Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for this role.

Personal life

Robin Wright and Sean Penn in 2006.

From 1986 to 1988, Wright was married to actor Dane Witherspoon.

In 1989, Wright became involved with actor Sean Penn following his divorce from Madonna. Their daughter Dylan Frances Penn was born on April 13, 1991. Their son Hopper Jack Penn, born August 6, 1993, is named after two family friends, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson. After the marriage in 1996, the relationship went through on-and-off again periods in the 2000s. Divorce plans and separation have been announced, beginning in December 2007, and again in April 2009, only to be withdrawn, and then again in May 2009. On August 12, 2009, Robin Wright Penn filed for divorce for good, declaring she has no plans to reconcile. The couple finalized their divorce on July 22, 2010.

She is the national campaign spokesperson for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America. She is also the Honorary Spokesperson for the Dallas, Texas based non-profit The Gordie Foundation.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes

1984–1989 Santa Barbara Kelly Capwell

1986 Hollywood Vice Squad Lori Stanton

1987 The Princess Bride Buttercup Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

1990 Denial Sara/Loon

State of Grace Kathleen Flannery

1992 The Playboys Tara Maguire

Toys Gwen Tyler Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

1994 Forrest Gump Jenny Curran Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

1995 The Crossing Guard Jojo

1996 Moll Flanders Moll Flanders Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama

1997 Loved Hedda Amerson Seattle International Film Festival for Best Actress

Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead

She's So Lovely Maureen Murphy Quinn Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

1998 Hurlyburly Darlene

1999 Message in a Bottle Theresa Osborne Nominated - Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance

2000 How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog Melanie McGowan

Unbreakable Audrey Dunn Nominated - Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense

2001 The Pledge Lori

The Last Castle Rosalie Irwin Uncredited

2002 Searching for Debra Winger Herself Documentary

White Oleander Starr Thomas

2003 The Singing Detective Nicola/Nina/Blonde

Virgin Mrs. Reynolds

2004 A Home at the End of the World Clare

2005 Nine Lives Diana Locarno International Film Festival for Best Actress shared with the ensemble of the actresses

Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actress

Nominated - Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress

Nominated - Gotham Award for Best Ensemble

Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female

Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama

Sorry, Haters Phoebe Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress

Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female

Max Mother Short subject

2006 Breaking and Entering Liv Nominated - British Independent Film Award for Best Actress

Room 10 Frannie Short subject

2007 Hounddog Stranger Lady

Beowulf Wealthow "motion capture" enhanced performance

2008 What Just Happened Kelly

New York, I Love You Anna

2009 State of Play Anne Collins

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Pippa Lee

A Christmas Carol Fan Scrooge/Belle "motion capture" enhanced performance

2010 The Conspirator Mary Surratt Forthcoming film

(source:wikipedia)