Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn, 63, has opened up about his newfound joy in being single after a tumultuous romantic history.
Penn revealed that he is reveling in the freedom of living the unattached life.
“I’m just free. If I’m going to be in a relationship, I’m still going to be free, or I’m not going to be in it, and I’m not going to be hurting,” Penn said, emphasizing his changed perspective on romance.
The actor added that he no longer fears the prospect of having his heart broken, stating, “I don’t sense I’ll have my heart broken by romance again.”
Penn was previously married to pop icon Madonna from 1985 to 1989, and the couple welcomed two children together - son Hopper Jack Penn, 30, and daughter Dylan Frances Penn, 33.
He went on to wed Australian actress Leila George in 2020, but the marriage was short-lived, ending in divorce in 2022.
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Throughout his life, the two-time Oscar winner has been linked to several high-profile relationships, including with actresses Scarlett Johansson, Olga Korotyayeva, and Charlize Theron.
Penn now says he has no desire to be burdened by the “background noise” of relationships, likening it to the reality shows that he finds so unsatisfying.
“On one of my marriages, the background noise of life was a [Real] Housewives of Beverly Hills or another thing called Love Island. Not even being in the room — I’m not saying this to be cute — I was dying. I felt my heart, my brain shrinking,” he recalled.
As Penn looks ahead to the future, he seems content to embrace the joys of singledom, stating that he is “thrilled every day” with his newfound freedom. The actor’s latest film, Daddio, co-starring Dakota Johnson, is set to hit theaters on June 28.
