Eileen Ryan who appeared in several television shows such as “The Twilight Zone,” “ER” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and was the mother of actor Sean Penn, has died.
Ryan was 94 years old.
Ryan died Sunday, a week before her 95th birthday, USA Today reported.
She died at her home in Malibu, according to Deadline. No cause of death was released, CNN reported.
In addition to her numerous television credits, Ryan also appeared in several films such as “Parenthood,” “Eight Legged Freaks” and “Feast.”
She also appeared in several of her sons’ projects including “At Close Range,” “I Am Sam” and “The Indian Runner.”
Ryan was preparing for the New York play “The Iceman Cometh” in 1957 when she met actor-director Leo Penn during rehearsals. They moved in together just weeks after meeting and got married months later. They were together for 41 years until Leo Penn died in 1998, Deadline reported. They had three sons together, actors Sean Penn and Christopher Penn, and singer Michael Penn.
Sean Penn called his mother a “lioness” in an article for New Yorker magazine.
“Boy, she could dress down those authority figures. She was unintimidatable”, Sean Penn told the publication in 2006.
Ryan’s death was preceded by not only that of her husband but also her son Christopher Penn in 2006, Deadline reported.
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