Sean Penn opened up about his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meal they shared together.
During an interview for Jimmy Kimmel Live on September 11, 2025, the 65-year-old actor revealed that he was “conned” after talking to Vladimir while having dinner with him and Jack Nicholson at the Moscow International Film Festival, where they were promoting The Pledge.
The Mystic River alum recalled the moment that they spoke through an interpreter, mostly about fatherhood. He said that he shares two children with ex-wife Robin Wright, while Putin has at least two daughters.
He mentioned, "He clearly speaks and understands more English than he lets on."
At the time, Penn felt there was “something genuine” about the controversial leader, stating, “I was conned also,” echoing then-President George W. Bush’s comments about trusting the Russian leader.
Now, The Game star reflects in a different way, citing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and accusing him of the abduction of thousands of children and igniting hatred.
Notably, Peen has always been vocal about Ukraine, even launching the 2023 Paramount+ documentary SUPERPOWER, originally intended as a lighthearted profile of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; however, which became a storytelling piece on Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
Beyond their conversation, Penn stated that they shared the dinner table with "about 20 people," adding that everyone got intrigued by the conversation between Putin and Nicholson.
Reflecting on the dinner decades later, Penn recalled how everyone once misread Putin’s intentions.