Robin Virginia Wright was born in Dallas, Texas, to Gayle (Gaston), a national director at Mary Kay, and Freddie Gayle Wright, a pharmaceutical executive. She grew up in San Diego, California. She started her professional career as a model in 1980 at age 14, and worked both in Paris and Japan. After finishing high school she decided to become an actress. She got a role on the soap opera Santa Bárbara (1984), for which she was nominated three times for a Daytime Emmy. During the first season of the show, she fell in love with fellow cast member Dane Witherspoon, whom she married in 1986. Meanwhile, she starred in La princesa prometida (1987), playing the title role. After leaving the cast of Santa Barbara, she got the starring role in Denial (1990) alongsideJason Patric. In 1990, she was in El clan de los irlandeses (1990), where she met actorSean Penn, by whom she had a daughter, Dylan Frances, and a son, Hopper Jack. After taking some time off, Robin was back to Hollywood with one the best roles of her career: She played Tara in Playboys (1992). She was extremely stunning and brilliant. Then, she acted in Toys (Fabricando ilusiones) (1992) with Robin Williams, and she gave a funny performance. In 1994, Wright was in the blockbuster hit Forrest Gump (1994), with Tom Hanks. For her performance as Jenny, she got a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. She got a small role in Cruzando la oscuridad (1995), which starred Jack Nicholson. After turning down 14 roles, she played the title role of MGM/UA upcoming Moll Flanders: el coraje de una mujer (1996), directed by Pen Densham. Her co-stars are Morgan Freemanand Stockard Channing. She just started to star in Erin Dignam's Por amor (1997), withWilliam Hurt. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
Spouse
Sean Penn (27 April 1996 - 4 August 2010) (divorced) (2 children)
Dane Witherspoon (1986 - 1988) (divorced)
Trivia
She started working at age 14 as a model in Paris and Japan.
Backed out of the role of Maid Marian in Robin Hood, príncipe de los ladrones (1991), withKevin Costner, upon discovering that she was pregnant with her first child (daughterDylan Penn).
She turned down roles in Batman Forever (1995) and Sabrina (y sus amores) (1995).
She owns two oil wells in Texas.
In La princesa prometida (1987), she is credited as 'and introducing' (Robin Wright), although that was not her first film.
Former daughter-in-law of Eileen Ryan and Leo Penn.
Former sister-in-law of Chris Penn, Michael Penn and Aimee Mann.
She was robbed of her vehicle at gunpoint in Santa Monica, California, in the 1990s. Shortly after the incident, she and Sean Penn moved out of Los Angeles.
Had to back out of the role of Abby McDeere in La tapadera (1993), with Tom Cruise, upon discovering that she was pregnant with her second child (son Hopper Penn). The role eventually went to Jeanne Tripplehorn.
She is mentioned in the lyrics in the hit song "Palace & Main" by Sweden's biggest rock band, Kent. "Jag skjuter allting framför mig som Robin Wright Penn gör i State of Grace," which translates to "I push everything in front of me like Robin Wright Penn does in El clan de los irlandeses (1990).".
Won the title role in La princesa prometida (1987) while still under contract to the soapSanta Bárbara (1984). In order to get sprung from her soap role temporarily, Wright reluctantly agreed to add nine months to her soap contract.
Was in attendance at Chris Penn's funeral.
Her son, Hopper Penn (Hopper Jack Penn), is named after two family friends, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson.
Lived with Sean Penn for six years before they married in 1996.
National campaign spokesperson for myasthenia gravis.
Born to Freddie Gayle Wright, a pharmaceutical executive, and his wife Gayle Gaston, an independent executive national sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Honorary chairperson and national spokesperson for the Gordie Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing today's young people with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, binge drinking, peer pressure, and hazing.
Told More magazine that, although she and Sean Penn withdrew their divorce papers, they are no longer together. [August 2009]
Filed for divorce from Sean Penn in December 2007; the couple reconciled in April 2008, and Sean filed for legal separation in April 2009. He withdrew his bid a month later, but the couple filed for divorce in August 2009.
Gave birth to her second child at age 27, a son Hopper Jack Penn (aka Hopper Penn) on August 6, 1993. Child's father is her boyfriend [now second ex-husband], Sean Penn.
Gave birth to her first child at age 25, a daughter Dylan Frances Penn (aka Dylan Penn) on April 13, 1991. Child's father is her boyfriend [now second ex-husband], Sean Penn.
Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame on March 7, 2013, in Austin, Texas.
Was formerly engaged to Ben Foster from January 11, 2014 to November 12, 2014.
One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. [April 2014].
Robin Wright trained with Joanne Baron in the Meisner technique.
Personal Quotes
Famous is celebrityism and I don't want that. I know that I'm not that. Everybody knows who you are, I can't imagine living that life.
On working on the soap Santa Bárbara (1984). "I don't want to knock it. It's been great. This has been my acting class - and paid training ain't bad."
Choosing these kinds of intense roles is becoming sort of a bad habit. Playing the average manic-depressive woman who's hitting 40 - yep, that'd be me. Bring it on! But I think what it is, really, is that [Hollywood] sees you do certain roles and says, 'Okay, that's her, let's cast her again and again as the same thing.' Then you wind up saying, 'I'd like to do something else,' and they whine, 'But why?'
These heavy movies, you carry them with you. Some days, when it would be great to chill and be a mom and just crash, I'm so wired, I can't turn it off. I would love to do a comedy again, it would be so much fun. Do people know that? Let's tell 'em!
[on the state of film in 2012] Everything now is escapism, because that's where the money is. There is a vacuum for serious drama. The mid-budget serious drama is something you don't experience anymore.
Sean Penn (27 April 1996 - 4 August 2010) (divorced) (2 children)
Dane Witherspoon (1986 - 1988) (divorced)
Trivia
She started working at age 14 as a model in Paris and Japan.
Backed out of the role of Maid Marian in Robin Hood, príncipe de los ladrones (1991), withKevin Costner, upon discovering that she was pregnant with her first child (daughterDylan Penn).
She turned down roles in Batman Forever (1995) and Sabrina (y sus amores) (1995).
She owns two oil wells in Texas.
In La princesa prometida (1987), she is credited as 'and introducing' (Robin Wright), although that was not her first film.
Former daughter-in-law of Eileen Ryan and Leo Penn.
Former sister-in-law of Chris Penn, Michael Penn and Aimee Mann.
She was robbed of her vehicle at gunpoint in Santa Monica, California, in the 1990s. Shortly after the incident, she and Sean Penn moved out of Los Angeles.
Had to back out of the role of Abby McDeere in La tapadera (1993), with Tom Cruise, upon discovering that she was pregnant with her second child (son Hopper Penn). The role eventually went to Jeanne Tripplehorn.
She is mentioned in the lyrics in the hit song "Palace & Main" by Sweden's biggest rock band, Kent. "Jag skjuter allting framför mig som Robin Wright Penn gör i State of Grace," which translates to "I push everything in front of me like Robin Wright Penn does in El clan de los irlandeses (1990).".
Won the title role in La princesa prometida (1987) while still under contract to the soapSanta Bárbara (1984). In order to get sprung from her soap role temporarily, Wright reluctantly agreed to add nine months to her soap contract.
Was in attendance at Chris Penn's funeral.
Her son, Hopper Penn (Hopper Jack Penn), is named after two family friends, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson.
Lived with Sean Penn for six years before they married in 1996.
National campaign spokesperson for myasthenia gravis.
Born to Freddie Gayle Wright, a pharmaceutical executive, and his wife Gayle Gaston, an independent executive national sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Honorary chairperson and national spokesperson for the Gordie Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing today's young people with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, binge drinking, peer pressure, and hazing.
Told More magazine that, although she and Sean Penn withdrew their divorce papers, they are no longer together. [August 2009]
Filed for divorce from Sean Penn in December 2007; the couple reconciled in April 2008, and Sean filed for legal separation in April 2009. He withdrew his bid a month later, but the couple filed for divorce in August 2009.
Gave birth to her second child at age 27, a son Hopper Jack Penn (aka Hopper Penn) on August 6, 1993. Child's father is her boyfriend [now second ex-husband], Sean Penn.
Gave birth to her first child at age 25, a daughter Dylan Frances Penn (aka Dylan Penn) on April 13, 1991. Child's father is her boyfriend [now second ex-husband], Sean Penn.
Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame on March 7, 2013, in Austin, Texas.
Was formerly engaged to Ben Foster from January 11, 2014 to November 12, 2014.
One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. [April 2014].
Robin Wright trained with Joanne Baron in the Meisner technique.
Personal Quotes
Famous is celebrityism and I don't want that. I know that I'm not that. Everybody knows who you are, I can't imagine living that life.
On working on the soap Santa Bárbara (1984). "I don't want to knock it. It's been great. This has been my acting class - and paid training ain't bad."
Choosing these kinds of intense roles is becoming sort of a bad habit. Playing the average manic-depressive woman who's hitting 40 - yep, that'd be me. Bring it on! But I think what it is, really, is that [Hollywood] sees you do certain roles and says, 'Okay, that's her, let's cast her again and again as the same thing.' Then you wind up saying, 'I'd like to do something else,' and they whine, 'But why?'
These heavy movies, you carry them with you. Some days, when it would be great to chill and be a mom and just crash, I'm so wired, I can't turn it off. I would love to do a comedy again, it would be so much fun. Do people know that? Let's tell 'em!
[on the state of film in 2012] Everything now is escapism, because that's where the money is. There is a vacuum for serious drama. The mid-budget serious drama is something you don't experience anymore.
