Sean Penn, the Oscar-winning actor and Madonna’s ex-husband, was photographed holding hands with his much younger girlfriend Valeria Nicov just days after angering viewers for smoking indoors during the Golden Globe Awards.
Viewers immediately roasted the 65-year-old actor, questioning the couple’s 35-age gap and going as far as to criticize Nicov’s appearance.
“Finally, a woman he can look up to,” a reader wrote, noting how taller the model appeared when walking alongside the actor.
At the same time, others took issue with Nicov’s seemingly larger frame, emphasized by a wide-shouldered coat, which, in their opinion, made her look androgynous.
“The big story here is that he’s dating a man,” another added.
Netizens scrutinized Sean Penn’s decision to date a 30-year-old model after smoking indoors at the Golden Globes
Image credits: Getty/Stephane Cardinale – Corbis
Before the commentary around his girlfriend took over social media, Penn was already involved in a controversy after being caught on camera smoking during the Golden Globes ceremony last Sunday (January 11).
He was photographed holding a cigarette while seated near Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Hudson.
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Critics pointed to California law, which sets fines for smoking indoors ranging from $81 to $324, with a $100 penalty for a first-time violation. They also branded Penn “arrogant” for ignoring the rules at one of Hollywood’s most high-profile events.
“I would have told him to put that cigarette out in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t care who he was,” one commenter wrote.
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The Golden Globes incident was not isolated. Penn was previously criticized for chain-smoking throughout a news conference at the 2024 Marrakech International Film Festival.
“If I could pick a celebrity to smoke on camera that would actually deter young people from smoking, it would be Sean Penn,” a user wrote.
“He looks like sh*t and you can 100% tell he looks like that because of a lifetime of smoking.”
Viewers criticized everything from the couple’s 35-year-old gap and height difference, to Nicov’s appearance
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As attention shifted from the cigarette to Penn’s personal life, online discourse focused on his relationship with Nicov.
The 35-year age gap had netizens questioning whether she looked closer to a daughter than a romantic partner.
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Others focused on Nicov’s appearance, describing her as too androgynous.
“The person he’s with looks like a guy,” one commenter wrote.
“Sean Penn’s gal pal looks more like his bodyguard,” another added. “Is that a man or a woman?”
“He’s dating Paul Dano in a wig,” a third one joked.
Image credits: Getty/Christopher Polk/2026GG
Another dismissed the smoking backlash entirely, writing, “Who cares about the d**th sticks. The big story here is that he’s dating a man.”
Penn has never been a stranger to polarizing relationships.
The thrice-divorced Malibu native previously had high-profile romances with Madonna, Robin Wright, and Charlize Theron. His personal life has long been marked by controversy, sometimes overshadowing his professional work.
Dating Penn has put a spotlight on the 30-year-old, whose acting career remained largely out of the public eye until now
Image credits: Getty/Christopher Polk/2026GG
Penn’s reputation was cemented decades ago through a series of violent incidents that followed him throughout the 1980s.
In 1985, Penn physically attacked two journalists who attempted to photograph him and Madonna in Nashville, triggering a legal spiral that would follow him for years and ultimately land him behind bars.
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He was already on probation when he was charged with misdemeanor battery after assaulting songwriter David Wolinski at Helena’s nightclub in Los Angeles. Despite being under strict conditions not to reoffend, Penn’s behavior continued to escalate.
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While filming Colors in 1987, he punched an extra on set. Shortly after, he assaulted producer Jeffrey Klein, an incident that led to his arrest and a 60-day jail sentence, of which he served 33 days.
Now, Penn’s personal life is once again being scrutinized but for the woman at his side.
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Valeria Nicov is a Romanian-born actress and model who had little public profile before being linked to Penn in September 2024. Her resumé includes small roles in French productions such as 2022’s Ténor and 2018’s L’amour est une fête.
For this reason, the discourse surrounding her has defaulted to optics, with Penn and their age-gap at the forefront.
“She could crush him.” Netizens criticized the couple on social media
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