Sean Penn taking a turn as an action hero in the new film "The gunman." Two-time university of Oklahoma winning teaming up with the same director as "The taken" series and nick watt went one-on-one with the star and says nothing was off the table. You are a hired trigger. Sean Penn is Jim terrier, a sniper whose past comes back to haunt him. We have a surprise for you. Reporter: Is this the reinvention of Sean Penn, the action hero? No. Well, the geri-action hero, I don't think so. I will find you. And I will kill you. Reporter: Remember Liam Neeson reinvented himself in "Taken." Same director as "The gunman." Is Sean Penn trying to be the new Liam Neeson? No, 6'4", melodically masculine voice, deeply decent man putting his life on the line for those he loves versus a 5'9" sort of awkward voiced guy who's a conflicted man really fighting for himself. It's a different story. Reporter: And different from a lot of action movies where the hero walks away from the explosion. There are only two things that come out of being that close to a real -- either you're never going to hear again or you're dead. This didn't have that. Reporter: There isn't a volley of shots and then a smart one-liner. No, and I appreciated that about it. You did your part. I did mine. We all found a way to justify it. Virtual ly all violence has consequence, political ramifications and -- Keep your eyes open, my friend. It's the ones who aren't after you that do you in the end. Reporter: I'm assuming you met guys like him. Yeah, and that was part of the -- my interest in it. The American people need to know. Reporter: Penn is activist, humanitarian, mainly helping Haiti. Actor, director. And slightly reluctant star. Why did you move back to L.A. Because you've been fairly not scathing about this town but sounded like you were pretty glad to get out of it at one point. My ex-wife had gone to live back in Los Angeles and I stayed -- I was single parenting my son for most of that first year following that and within that time I felt that, you know, that he and his mother should see each other more and so it was really that that brought me back. Reporter: He's now dating Charlize Theron. Are you going to get married again? I have no idea. Reporter: You haven't asked her yet? Asked who? Reporter: Okay, this might not make him smile. Remember Penn's criticized Oscar joke. Who gave this seven of a His green card. Reporter: This green card issue. I've got my green card interview coming up. Any tip, Sean? Yes, my tip is that there's a very self-righteous group of people who hurt their own cause for their own benefit by seizing the opportunity to criticize things that they haven't considered the meaning of and so what you should do is you should say whatever is on your mind, ask whatever is on your mind and always consider the possibility that everyone else is wrong. Reporter: Yeah, he's a pretty cool cat. Offscreen and on. Nick watt, ABC news, los Angeles. "The gunman" opens nationwide on Friday. All the developments here are the most important news of the day, what in the world are monitored in this channel

• published: 19 Mar 2015
• views: 1