It’s been years since the unsettling rumors first emerged, but Sean Penn continues to assert that he never physically abused his ex-wife Madonna with a baseball bat.
The couple’s marriage in the 1980s was notoriously tumultuous, with wild allegations surfacing, including claims that Penn tied Madonna to a chair on one occasion and hit her with a bat on another.
Recently, Sean Penn sat down with the New York Times to discuss his past marriage to Madonna, steadfastly denying the most severe accusations against him.
It’s important to note that Madonna herself has also denied that Penn was ever physically abusive towards her. The iconic singer even testified in court on his behalf during a defamation lawsuit related to these allegations.
Despite this, some people believe that there’s often some truth behind persistent rumors, and speculation has lingered around the now 63-year-old Penn for decades.
In his conversation with the New York Times, Penn admitted that one of his arguments with Madonna did lead to a SWAT team being called to their home, but he clarified that it was not due to physical violence on his part.
During the interview, Penn explained that his ex-wife called the police, expressing concern about guns in the house. This prompted a swift response, with a SWAT team breaking into their home, smashing windows to gain entry, and placing Penn in handcuffs.
“I had a freaking SWAT team come into my house,” Sean recalled. “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.”
Penn and Madonna divorced in 1987 after two years of marriage. It was around this time that rumors started to suggest Penn had been physically abusive. The actor recounted hearing gossip about having “trussed her up like a turkey,” although he confessed, “I didn’t know what ‘trussed up’ meant at first.”
Penn also remembered a moment with a new girlfriend when he stepped outside for a smoke and was confronted about beating Madonna with a baseball bat.
“I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about,” he recalled. “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.”
In the interview, Penn also mentioned that he and Madonna now have an amicable relationship.
“It turns out it’s a lot quicker to repair a friendship after divorce if there are no kids involved,” he said.