A Night to Remember...

I'm afraid if I don't write this down right now, I will not be able to remember every minute detail of last night. And it was a doozy...

"Surreal" doesn't even describe it. "Out-of-body" is a little more on the mark. It involves one of the greatest actors of our time, who is also, quite understandably, one of the most private actors of our time. Mr. Sean Penn.

Based on screen credits alone, he is idolized by so many, including me. Having had a few choice moments with him face-to-face, though, is why I truly worship the guy. He is a kind man. A good man. Always looking out for his fellow actor while on the job, but more importantly, doing that, and then some, when the cameras are not rolling.

At the afterparty for the Palm Springs International Film Festival last night, there was Sean, at a corner table with Jeremy Renner, another brilliant actor who knocked my socks off in "The Hurt Locker" -- a film where you FEEL and almost TOUCH the experience of what it's like to be a soldier in the Middle East right now. They were engrossed in conversation, and I was with my friend, Jen, about 20-25 feet away from their table. I see Sean raise his hand and start waving, and I look behind me. He couldn't have been waving at me, right? Wrong. He was. I went over, gave him a hug, introduced Jen to him, said hello again to Jeremy Renner, whom I had just interviewed earlier in the evening on the red carpet. Sean had Jeremy's back. He wanted to make sure that I spoke volumes about Renner's performance in "The Hurt Locker" -- and I said "Done" --and the absolute truth is, I was blown away by Jeremy AND the movie. Everyone needs to see it. Intense. The kind of intensity that stays with you long after you've seen it. So, there you go, Sean...

Later in the evening, Jen and I hung out for awhile with Jeremy and just shot the breeze. Such a grounded and grateful guy. And funny! As we were saying our goodbyes to him, Sean Penn joins our group, turns to me, looks me straight in the eye, and says something I will never, ever forget. "I want you to know that you have the respect of so many of us." He went on, but I will take a cue from him and keep some of it private. But suffice it to say, it was some of the most generous words anyone has ever uttered to me.

Here was one of the most gifted actors giving me such a gift of words. A gift that has motivated me in this New Year like he'll never know. Or check that. I think I'll write him a note and tell him directly how much he's inspired me. He needs to know how much impact one's, what do they call it? random acts of kindness, can have on a person.