Suddenly, the photophobic bad boy is everywhere. He directed “The Crossing Guard” and is starring in the forthcoming “Dead Man Walking.” He took the role of a death-row convict because he was “moved by the part,” and it’s already getting him strong Oscar buzz. Is the resurgent Penn more media-friendly? Asked again about Madonna, he bristles, “I hope this isn’t gonna be the point of the whole article?” No – and you wouldn’t hit a reporter with glasses, would you?
