Why Greg Bovino is being linked to One Battle After Another: Fans call out striking similarities between embattled Border Patrol Commander and Sean Penn’s role as a lawless military officer

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Viewers of One Battle After Another have noticed connections between Sean Penn’s character and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, leading to new interpretations of the film.

In the movie, Sean Penn stars as Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, a dishonest military leader whose power is challenged when a group of left-wing activists—including Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor—target the immigration detention center he runs.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s darkly funny new movie is receiving rave reviews, with many calling it a landmark film for our time. It’s also a strong contender to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

As the movie has become more popular, people have wondered if Sean Penn’s character was based on Jacob Bovino, who recently became well-known as a key figure in Donald Trump’s efforts to tighten immigration policies.

Following a successful mission against the made-up terrorist organization called French 75, Colonel Lockjaw receives a promotion.

He received The Bedford Forrest Medal of Honor, an award named after a historical figure who was both a slave trader and a Confederate general. This individual later became the first leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

Bovino also had an abrupt rise through the ranks. 

For three decades, Bovino worked as a Border Patrol officer. He previously led the El Centro, California sector, a relatively quiet area, but gained widespread attention last June when he commanded a large-scale operation in Los Angeles.

He rapidly became well-known as the leader of the aggressive immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago and Minneapolis, and people began to question his methods.

According to The American Prospect, someone compared Bovino to a Confederate general in an email, similar to how Col. Lockjaw was described.

Bovino reportedly didn’t address the issue with his coworker initially, but later dismissed the email as false and unimportant when asked about it.

Fans have also noticed a recurring joke in One Battle After Another: Leonardo DiCaprio’s characters repeatedly forget the secret passwords needed to contact their fellow terrorists.

Bovino’s email passwords were recently exposed in a data leak. They showed up on the dark web and are now being tracked by several websites that monitor data breaches.

Although the director and writer, Anderson, has said his film, One Battle After Another, is inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland, many viewers believe Thomas Pynchon’s novel Bovino also played a role in its creation.

I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz online – especially on X, formerly known as Twitter – about Sean Penn’s Oscar nomination! People are really celebrating his performance as Greg Bovino in the film ‘One Battle After Another,’ and sending him their congratulations. It’s wonderful to see such positive reactions!

People are noticing a striking resemblance between Greg Bovino and Sean Penn’s character in the movie ‘One Battle After Another’. Many are saying Bovino is that character brought to life.

Does anyone else notice a strong resemblance between Greg Bovino and Sean Penn’s character, Colonel Lockjaw, from the movie “One Battle After Another”? Except, of course, Greg Bovino is much smaller.

I just noticed Sean Penn’s performance in “One Battle After Another” really seemed to be inspired by Greg Bovino. (I really enjoyed the movie!)

The Daily Mail reached out to both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and representatives for Anderson for a statement.

It was revealed this week that Bovino has been removed from his position and no longer has access to his official social media accounts.

I was really surprised to hear that Bovino is heading back to his old post in El Centro, California. From what I understand, he’s planning to retire there soon, according to a recent report in the Atlantic. They said a Homeland Security official and a couple of people in the know confirmed the move.

His government social media accounts were also taken down at the direction of his supervisor, Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott, according to sources within the Department of Homeland Security who spoke with the Daily Mail.

This situation arose after Bovino used the weekend to justify the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a nurse working in intensive care, which occurred on a street in Minneapolis.

He repeatedly tweeted warnings against attacking federal officers, often replying to users on X who were sharing positive details about Pretti’s background.

Regarding a claim that Pretti never had a gun, Bovino stated that the suspect fought with and attacked officers while armed.

He clashed with some politicians, including Republican Thomas Massie, who strongly defended the right to bear arms, stating it’s a constitutional and God-given right, and questioned the qualifications of anyone in law enforcement or government who didn’t agree.

Bovino sharply responded to the Kentucky Congressman, stating that obstructing or attacking law enforcement isn’t a protected right.

The commander also responded to calls for independent investigations into the shooting from Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy (a Republican), Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (a Democrat), and author Stephen King.

This week, protestors held a noisy demonstration to bid farewell to Border Control commander Gregory Bovino. They gathered outside the hotel where he is believed to be staying, making noise with drums and by banging wood.

The demonstrators clashed with agents in gas masks, who fired irritants towards the crowd.

Following a flurry of over 40 posts responding to reactions about the Pretti shooting over the weekend, Bovino stopped tweeting.

According to Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Bovino still has a job and continues to be an important member of the president’s staff.

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2026-01-28 03:40