Sean Penn nonetheless remembers when he heard the rumor that accused him of hitting Madonna with a baseball bat.
Allegations of home violence, which Madonna has since denied, have been within the information throughout and after the couple’s rocky marriage from 1985 to 1989. Nevertheless, Penn mentioned he first heard the actual story concerning the bat over a morning cigarette.
A lady he was courting confronted him about it after “a lovely evening” collectively, he informed The New York Occasions in an interview that printed Saturday.
“She’s looking at me like I killed her dog,” the “Mystic River” star mentioned.
“I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about,” the Oscar winner added. “Now I think it’s fair to say that I’m not the biggest guy in the world. But if I hit Mike Tyson in the head with a baseball bat, he’s going to the hospital.”
The rumor that Penn hit the singer with a bat in 1987 slot in with the narrative across the pair’s relationship that flared up when Madonna filed an assault grievance in opposition to Penn in December 1988. Whereas she reportedly withdrew the grievance every week later, police flooded the couple’s Malibu, California, residence and ordered Penn exterior along with his arms up.
“I had a freaking SWAT team come into my house,” the 63-year-old actor informed the Occasions. “I said: ‘I’m not coming out. I’m going to finish my breakfast.’ The next thing I knew, windows were being broken all around the house and they came in.”
The allegations of abuse drew consideration once more in 2015 when director Lee Daniels defended his “Empire” star Terrence Howard by evaluating the actor’s personal admitted home violence to Penn’s alleged actions with Madonna.
Vinnie Zuffante through Getty Pictures
Penn, who was additionally rumored within the tabloids to have tied Madonna up and left her “trussed up like a turkey” for 9 hours, sued Daniels for defamation within the sum of $10 million in damages. Madonna supplied an affidavit in assist of Penn.
“While we certainly had more than one heated argument during our marriage, Sean has never struck me, ‘tied me up,’ or physically assaulted me, and any report to the contrary is completely outrageous, malicious, reckless and false,” she mentioned in her assertion on the time.
Penn informed the Occasions that Daniels needed to challenge an apology and contribute to his nonprofit charity efforts as a part of the settlement in 2016. He additionally mentioned he’s lengthy repaired his friendship with Madonna, as has been evident with their varied in-person reunions.
“She’s someone I love,” he informed the outlet.
Need assistance? Within the U.S., name 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline.
