ROTTEN TOMATOES: SUNDANCE: "Darwin" Actor Chris Penn Found Dead

SUNDANCE: "Darwin" Actor Chris Penn Found Dead

by Jen Yamato | January 25, 2006

Character actor Chris Penn was found dead Tuesday at a Santa Monica apartment. He was 43 years old.

Police are investigating the death but have found no signs of foul play.

The younger brother of fellow actor Sean and musician Michael, Penn was well known for supporting roles in over fifty films including "Reservoir Dogs," "Best of the Best 2," and "Rush Hour." He had a role in 1983's "Rumble Fish" before making an impression a year later in "Footloose" as Kevin Bacon's best friend with two left feet, lent his voice to the "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" video game, and recently appeared in "Starsky & Hutch."

Chris Penn filmed at least four independent films that have yet to be released, including "The Darwin Awards," which premieres Wednesday at the Sundance Film Festival. With a recognizable cast that includes Joseph Fiennes, Winona Ryder, David Arquette and Juliette Lewis, and helmed by writer-director Finn Taylor ("Cherish"), "Darwin" looks to have a good shot at landing a distribution deal this year.

Prior to his death, Penn also filmed "King of Sorrow" with director Damian Lee ("Ski School") as well as the crime drama "Aftermath," both of which are still in post-production. Last year he appeared in the unreleased "Holly" with Ron Livingston and Udo Kier.

Check out Sundance features by Rotten Tomatoes:
• Sundance Full Coverage
• Sundance Blog
• Sundance Discussion

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(1-20 of 23 posts) | Reply

VICVEGA06 writes:
on Jan 25 2006 04:08 AM

well, i shall miss nice guy eddie

(Reply to this)

rcbaker87 writes:
on Jan 25 2006 05:38 AM

[b]R.I.P. Chris[/b]
How he didn't get bigger from Reservoir Dogs is beyond me. He was a very talented actor, and in my opinion better than his brother Shawn. But still its very sad that hes gone.

(Reply to this)

VML writes:
on Jan 25 2006 07:37 AM

That's too bad.

(Reply to this)

Kenny Gamma writes:
on Jan 25 2006 07:45 AM

[b]Very sad[/b]
I enjoyed all of his performances.

I am going to watch True Romance and Reservoir Dogs this weekend in memorial. :*(

(Reply to this)

Senh Duong writes:
on Jan 25 2006 08:52 AM

I'll watch the "Best of the Best" movies.

(Reply to this)

foolofatook writes:
on Jan 25 2006 09:23 AM

Very sad.

(Reply to this)

zachdybs writes:
on Jan 25 2006 09:37 AM

[b]too bad[/b]
RIP Nice Eddie

(Reply to this)

Prosper761 writes:
on Jan 25 2006 10:34 AM

[b]Too Young; Too Soon[/b]
40 is so young... how sad to lose such a talented and nice guy.

(Reply to this)

Stankton writes:
on Jan 25 2006 12:17 PM

Pretty unexpected. How sad.

(Reply to this)

Scarborough Fair writes:
on Jan 25 2006 12:38 PM

i hope he died snorting cocaine off a strippers ass, cause that's how i wanna go.

(Reply to this)

niko20 writes:
on Jan 25 2006 12:50 PM

Um..They missed a movie. He was in Corky Romano as well.

(Reply to this)

elziard writes:
on Jan 25 2006 12:52 PM

very upset. i agree that he should've gone higher profile after dogs. christ! michael madsen got work after that movie. surely a more talented actor could of gotten meatier parts.

(Reply to this)

Spike1967 writes:
on Jan 25 2006 03:13 PM

Does anyone remember The Wild Life? He co-starred as Eric Stoltz wild roommate. He was great and will be missed.

(Reply to this)

245_trioxin writes:
on Jan 25 2006 03:52 PM

when i read this, all i could hear in my head is " don't you shoot my daddy!"

i'll miss chris penn

thomas of the living dead

(Reply to this)

jeffklos writes:
on Jan 25 2006 04:35 PM

[b]Sean Penn[/b]
A Lot of people are forgetting that Sean was also in "All the Right Moves" with Tom Cruise, playing the character Brian. I think that was one of his best performances. Especially when he tells Steph he's having a kid and he blew his chances to go to USC.

(Reply to this)

monkeyonaspring writes:
on Jan 25 2006 04:58 PM

RIP Eddie. No one will forget you in Reservoir Dogs...

(Reply to this)

Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Jan 25 2006 05:18 PM

RIP Eddie

I don't know whether to cheer or weep that this is getting so much attention. I wish nothing but the best for the Penn family in their grieving.

(Reply to this)

No14Mike writes:
on Jan 25 2006 06:00 PM

He was 40 not 43

(Reply to this)

Erick Peterson writes:
on Jan 25 2006 07:08 PM

[b]Penn[/b]
I don't think that we have to compare him to his brother Sean or to Madsen. He had some good roles and turned in some good performances. Forty (or 43) is much too young to die.

Does anyone know about this Darwin Awards film?

(Reply to this)

lavatory love machine writes:
on Jan 26 2006 08:32 AM

he was also in murder by numbers a couple o years ago with sandra bullock and ben chaplin

rip chris

(Reply to this)

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