TV and film actor Eileen Ryan, Sean Penn's mother, dies
Film, TV and Broadway actor Eileen Ryan has died at 94
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Eileen Ryan, an actor who appeared on TV, in films and on Broadway and the matriarch of the steeped-in-the-arts Penn family, has died. She was 94.
Ryan, who was the mother of actors Sean Penn and Christopher Penn and musician Michael Penn, died at her home in Malibu, California, on Sunday, according to family spokesperson Mara Buxbaum. Ryan would have turned 95 next Sunday.
“We lost mom yesterday,” Michael Penn tweeted with a broken heart emoji.
She had two roles on Broadway in the 1950s — both short-lived — in “Sing Till Tomorrow” in 1953 and “Comes a Day” in 1958.
In 1957, Ryan was at rehearsals for “Iceman Cometh” when she met Leo Penn, who had taken over for Jason Robards at the Circle in the Square production. They moved in together within a week of meeting and married a few months later. Leo Penn died in 1998.
Her TV credits include appearances on “Private Practice,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Bonanza,” “The Detectives,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Little House on the Prairie,” “Arli$$,” “Ally McBeal,” “NYPD Blue,” “ER,” “CSI,” “Men of a Certain Age” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Her film roles included “Parenthood,” and “Benny & Joon.” She also acted in films with her sons, including “At Close Range,” “I Am Sam,” “The Indian Runner” and “The Crossing Guard.”