This interview is from a few days ago, but it’s worth covering. Sean Penn gave an extensive interview to The Hollywood Reporter, likely to draw more attention to his continued work in Haiti. As I’ve said before, I admire Sean’s work in Haiti – I think his heart is in the right place, and he is making a difference. But, as I’ve also said before, Sean ruins whatever respect or warmth you might have for him by being such an insufferable jag. In the piece (done over the holidays in Haiti, which is where Sean spent his Christmas), Sean ends up saying a lot of crap about Robin Wright and their divorce. The full THR piece is here, and here are the highlights:

Sean on the chaos of his life: “There’s a great thing Paul Newman said about his long marriage,” he says wryly. “ ‘As it turns out, we still love each other.’ That’s how I feel: ‘As it turns out, I’m still here.’ ”

Sean Penn on the United Nations (versus his own Haitian-based charity, J/P Haitian Relief Organization): Penn sniffs at “the amount we’re getting done, versus what they’re doing — which is nothing. Quite honestly, if you want something done, do it yourself.”

Sean on his divorce, and money: “I didn’t have commitments, except for way in the future; I had nothing pressing,” as if this will make everything clear. But he admits, “I got practical issues, like everybody. I had two federal cases against me at the time, and one criminal one,” he says, referring to charges for illegal trips to Cuba and assaulting a paparazzo. Also, he says, about his former wife Robin Wright, “I had just got taken for one half of everything I had in the divorce, so it’s not like I don’t have to work.”

Also: He says the divorce impacted him much more than his move to Haiti. “A much more profound change in life for me personally was not being able to raise my son in a whole family through high school,” he professes bitterly.

Sean on his alienation: He speaks of a future when he might leave the camp in others’ hands, then wavers. On some level, he belongs here. “Let’s face it,” he admits, as the daylight begins to fade, “I’m a person that feels pretty alienated from the rest of the world and never felt understood by anyone.”

He‘s moved to Haiti now: “There’s no end point,” he says, drained to the point of collapsing. “This is where I’ll be when I’m not working, for the rest of my life.”

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

In a previous interview, Sean described his involvement in Haiti as some kind of agreement with God – that when his son was hospitalized, Sean prayed and pledged to be more involved in the world if Hopper was spared. What kills me, though, is that since his involvements in Haiti have grown, he barely sees his kids. I seriously doubt it’s a matter of “Robin won’t let Sean see the kids” either – it seems like he just found a project, and he’s ignoring everything else, including being a parent.

Also – “I’m a person that feels pretty alienated from the rest of the world and never felt understood by anyone.” Sean is so emo. That must explain the Robert Smith hair.

Photos courtesy of WENN.