Julia Roberts and Sean Penn sat down for a conversation about Variety & CNN‘s Actors on Actors season 23, and their longtime friendship quickly blossomed into a sweet moment of appreciation for someone special in Julia’s life, her husband, Danny Moder.
During the episode, which aired on Saturday, December 6, Penn reflected on their first meeting in New York when he was working with Julia’s brother, Eric Roberts, on The Pope of Greenwich Village.
He remembered Julia as “Eric’s little sister”, probably still a teenager at the time. She playfully replied, “Yes. I still am.”
As they continued to discuss their careers and shared history, Penn revealed how much he loved Moder.
“I think you’re phenomenal,” he told Julia before adding that his mother always loved being around her. He went on to praise Moder, calling him his “favorite filmmaker.”
Julia chimed in and joked that they shared a “love” for Moder, which Penn didn’t hesitate to support with a story.
He remembers Moder filming a project handheld and remaining laser-focused while quietly working from the corner.
Penn remembers someone describing the moment as “the sexiest thing in the world.”
Roberts and Penn also reflected on filming the 2022 Starz limited series Gaslitwhere they played Martha and John Mitchell.
Julia has previously spoken out about Penn’s talent, saying at the time: “Sean Penn is simply the best in the game.”
She shared that seeing him completely transform into his character was a pleasure.
Their friendship spans decades, from industrial relations to on-screen collaboration.
But one of the highlights of the reunion was Penn openly admiring the man Julia built her life with, making it clear that the respect between them goes far beyond Hollywood.
