Sean Penn Praises Matthew Fox's "Extraordinary" Performance in Caught

As the dark war comedy CAUGHT prepares to premiere on ITVX on June 1, a newly released interview with Yahoo UK reveals what brought Lost star Matthew Fox out of retirement — and how his performance in the series earned high praise from none other than Sean Penn.

Fox, who famously stepped away from acting after feeling he'd completed his personal "bucket list" with roles in projects like Bone Tomahawk and Emperor, was lured back into the spotlight by longtime friend Kick Gurry. The two first met on the set of Speed Racer in 2006, and during the Covid lockdown in 2020, Gurry sent Fox a teaser for a chaotic comedy project he was developing in Australia.

"I just loved it, I loved everything about it," Fox recalled. "I showed it to Margherita [Ronchi, his wife] and our son, and I wrote back: 'This is amazing, and I'll do anything I can to help.'"

That project became Caught, a satire that follows four Australian soldiers and one eccentric U.S. lieutenant (Fox) who go viral with a fake hostage video. Despite having taken a step away from the industry to focus on his family, Fox said this opportunity was too good to ignore.

"It was the most fun I've ever had on any set," Fox said. "It was just absolute blast to do."

Working closely with Gurry, Fox helped shape the character of Lieutenant Pete—starting with the moustache.

"The very first thing we decided was: he had to have a moustache!" Fox laughed.

But it wasn't just about having fun. His nuanced performance caught the attention of co-star and executive producer Sean Penn, who called Fox's work "extraordinary."

"Sean just said to me, 'What Matthew has done in this is just extraordinary. If you mute it, he's playing the hero in an American action movie. But to do that comedically is just an extraordinary high-wire act,'" said Gurry.

Penn also encouraged Gurry not to compromise the show's creative vision, insisting that Fox's performance deserved to be seen in full.

"You owe it to your buddy Matthew," Penn reportedly said. "For what he did in this show, do not back down."

Fox was clearly moved by the praise:

"When I was starting out, Sean was doing Dead Man Walking. I'm a huge fan of his work. He's always guided by authenticity and truth, and that's really admirable."

After nearly a decade away from TV, Fox's return with Caught shows he hasn't lost his touch — and he's doing it on his own terms, moustache and all.

CAUGHT* premieres Sunday, June 1, on ITVX in the UK.

Watch the full interiew here:

Source: Yahoo! UK