Actor Sean Penn says he is aware that he can be a difficult person to like, and puts blame on "arrogant" directors who don't respect actors.

"There've been several times I've worked with directors who I felt might have found a different job description, and perhaps weren't the storytellers that their initial meetings with each of us actors might have indicated," Penn said.

"Actors are kind of canaries in the coalmine emotionally, and you have to go to whatever place is necessary inside yourself. If you don't have somebody there who at least respects that -- most of what I was referring to is that the arrogance goes further than charm," he said, adding: "I am aware that I can be a difficult person to like from afar."

Penn opened up during an appearance on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show, looking back at his acceptance speech when he won an Oscar in 2009, reports dailymail.co.uk.

He had the Best Actor Oscar for "Milk" in 2009. In his acceptance speech, he said: "I did not expect this... and I want it to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me, often."

At the moment, Penn is focusing on the work of his nonprofit organisation Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), which is providing free COVID-19 tests across the US during the pandemic.