Sean Penn reasserts stand on COVID-19 vaccines, says 'I believe it should be mandatory'

Sean Penn reamins firm on his previous statements about making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all people. The Dead Man Walking actor recently reasserted his stand and explained why he wants vaccinations to be made compulsory for all. Here's what Sean Penn had to say - 

Sean Penn on COVID-19 vaccinations

Sean Penn reasserted his belief that COVID-19 vaccinations should be made mandatory for all during an interaction with CNN host Michael Smerconish while promoting his film, Flag Day. The actor said: 

"I am so grateful that audiences — and yes, we’ll come around to that I would request only vaccinated audiences — have an opportunity to see this theatrically. It’s rare these days to have something that is exclusively theatrical. Eventually, it will stream, and that’s a better time for the unvaccinated to see it, though I think I’ll probably offend them out of that choice."

Penn had made headlines in July 2021, when he refused to return to the set of Gaslit until the entire crew was vaccinated. Even now, at the LA premiere of his film Flag Day on 11 August, Penn had said, "I do request people who are not vaccinated, don’t go to the cinemas. Stay home until you are convinced of these very clearly safe vaccines." 

Speaking about his comments and stating that currently, only crew members who work closely alongside actors are required to be vaccinated, Penn told the aforementioned channel: 

"I didn’t want to feel complicit in something that was taking care of one group and not the other. And I do believe that everyone should get vaccinated. I believe it should be mandatory, like turning your headlights on in the car at night."

Sean Penn on 'anti-vaxxers'

Speaking about the people who choose to remain unvaccinated, Penn told CNN that there were two categories of such people. He explained that while people should value their independent freedoms, those freedoms have to exist along with "interdependency." The actor-director said: 

"There are those that, once the FDA gives full approval, will go forward with it. And there are those who have become entrenched in a kind of radical libertarianism and an identity of politic that has sort of perversely turned this issue into something that forgets that in the United States of America — in our entire history — it’s all based on being independent because we understand interdependency."

Penn added that he believes that vacciation is the beginning of something good that can be successful only through interdependency as the cornavirus has become a threat to business and lives of people around the world. 

Sean Penn's latest film, Flag Day, was released on 20 August 2021. The film also stars Sean's daughter, Dylan Penn. 

(Image: AP)