Sean Penn Heads to Haiti

Sean Penn, who won the Academy Award last year for his work in the biopic Milk, has joined up with a group of volunteers including former presidential aspirant John Edwards and headed to Haiti. Penn, Edwards, and other volunteers arrived on the earthquake-ravaged island Saturday.

Penn will be assisting in medical relief efforts and distributing supplies around the region. He was influential in helping to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Penn used his Academy Awards speech last year to push for gay rights, including marriage equality, echoing the work of Harvey Milk, the community organizer turned politician he played in the film.

Other actors who have made the trip to Haiti to volunteer include Penn's Milk costar Josh Brolin and his wife, Diane Lane. The two are working with a group organized by actress Maria Bello.