BioGraph
Connecting Sean Penn and Fred Rogers
Sean Penn
On April 19, 2007, Penn appeared on '' The Colbert Report'' and had a "Meta-Free-Phor-All" versus Stephen Colbert that was judged by Robert Pinsky.
Stephen Colbert
American comedian, writer, actor, and television host
The final episode on December 18, 2014, featured a rendition of "We'll Meet Again" and appearances from former guests of the show, including Jon Stewart, Randy Newman, Bryan Cranston, Willie Nelson, Yo-Yo Ma, Mandy Patinkin, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Tom Brokaw, David Gregory, J. J. Abrams, Big Bird, Gloria Steinem, Ken Burns, James Franco, Barry Manilow, Bob Costas, Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterston, Bill de Blasio, Katie Couric, Patrick Stewart, George Lucas, Henry Kissinger, Cookie Monster, Alan Alda, Eliot Spitzer, Vince Gilligan, Paul Krugman, and a text from Bill Clinton, and appearances by Alex Trebek, U.S. and coalition Afghanistan forces, and further characters (a space station astronaut, Santa Claus, Abraham Lincoln, etc.).
Yo-Yo Ma
Ma's likeness appeared in another ''Simpsons'' episode, "Missionary: Impossible", but he was played by regular ''Simpsons'' cast member Hank Azaria rather than Ma himself. Ma appeared twice on '' Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'', developed a friendship with creator and host Fred Rogers, and later received the inaugural Fred Rogers Legacy Award.
*2014: Fred Rogers Legacy Award, inaugural recipient, given by the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at Saint Vincent College.
Sean Penn
On December 18, 2006, Penn received the Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award from the Creative Coalition for his commitment to free speech.
Christopher Reeve
American actor, director, and activist (1952–2004)
Reeve did not object to all long-distance journeys; he went to New Mexico to shoot '' Speechless'', co-starring Michael Keaton.
Michael Keaton
American actor
(In 2004, after Fred Rogers' death, Keaton hosted a PBS memorial tribute, ''Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor''.) Keaton also worked as an actor in Pittsburgh theatre; he played the role of Rick in the Pittsburgh premiere of David Rabe's ''Sticks and Bones'' with the Pittsburgh Poor Players.
Sean Penn
Penn denied such accusations in an article he wrote for '' The Huffington Post''. Director Spike Lee interviewed Penn for Lee's documentary about Hurricane Katrina, '' When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts'' (2006).
Spike Lee
The roundtable included Ryan Coogler (''Black Panther''), Yorgos Lanthimos (''The Favourite''), Alfonso Cuarón (''Roma''), Marielle Heller (''Can You Ever Forgive Me?''), and Bradley Cooper (''A Star is Born'').
Marielle Heller
American writer, director, and actor
In January 2018, it was announced that Heller would direct '' A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'', a film that chronicles an interview Tom Junod conducted with child entertainer Fred Rogers for '' Esquire'' magazine, and how the encounter impacted the journalist's life.
Sean Penn
In November 2008, Penn earned positive reviews for his portrayal of real-life politician and gay rights icon Harvey Milk in the biopic ''Milk'' (2008), and was nominated for Best Actor for the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards.
Harvey Milk
American gay rights activist (1930–1978)
McKinley was a stage manager for Tom O'Horgan, a director who started his career in experimental theater, but soon graduated to much larger Broadway productions.
Tom O'Horgan
His loft was visited by children's television host Fred Rogers on a 1985 episode of '' Mister Rogers' Neighborhood''.
