Sean Penn has two siblings: older brother Michael Penn and younger brother Chris Penn. He was born to actor and director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan.
Unfortunately, Sean Penn younger brother, Chris, who was also an actor, died on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40.
He was found dead in his bed at his Ocean Avenue home in Santa Monica.
Sean Penn’s younger brother Chris died as a result of heart disease
Chris died of a fatal heart condition, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office [via the Los Angeles Times].
Chris died of “nonspecific cardiomyopathy,” a heart muscle disease that is usually fatal over time, according to investigators. Furthermore, coroner’s spokesman Craig Harvey stated that his heart was enlarged and weak, and that it “could have given out at any time.”
Meanwhile, investigators discovered that the actor was taking multiple medications on a regular basis, which likely contributed to his death.
According to doctors, the results specifically highlighted one prescription medication — Phenergan, a commonly prescribed cough syrup that contains an antihistamine but is not widely considered dangerous in adults.
Harvey, on the other hand, stated that the cough syrup, which also contains codeine, played a role in Chris’ death but was “not a direct cause.”
Sean Penn Speaks Out About His Brother’s Death
Sean finally spoke out publicly about his brother’s death in September 2006, during an interview with Larry King.
He stated unequivocally that the “weight” was the issue. He stated, “It was a natural death, after all. But it was a natural death caused by some hard living, particularly weight.”
Chris reportedly weighed 300 pounds at the time of his death.
Sean went on to say that he and Chris were “very close,” almost best friends. As a result, when his brother died, he felt as if he had lost a piece of himself.
“It’s a fragment of you. I’m one of three, so I’m either my right, left, or center arm at different times, and each was the other, so I’ve intermittently lost my right, left, or center arm, but that’s life, and everyone goes through it “He spoke of the loss of a sibling.
That wasn’t the only thing. Chris’ acting abilities were also lauded by him.
Chris’ performance in the 1997 crime drama film The Funeral inspired him and made him realize his brother “had a size of talent.”
An Examination of Chris Penn’s Work
Chris, who was born on October 10, 1965, was a skilled character actor from a prominent acting dynasty who frequently played tough characters.
For example, he could play a villain, a working-class thug, or a comic character.
He appeared in a number of films, including The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, The Funeral, Rush Hour, and True Romance.
Chris began acting at the Loft Studio when he was 12 years old and made his film debut in 1979’s Charlie and the Talking Buzzard, starring Christopher Hanks.