Julia Roberts and Sean Penn engage in a deeply candid conversation about filmmaking, friendship, creative risks, and modern culture, sharing valuable insights on directors, discomfort, humility, and the evolving dynamics of Hollywood.
Imran Malik – MediaBites – December 7, 2025
Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, long regarded as two of Hollywood’s most fearless actors, reunited for a deeply revealing conversation about their lives, their work, and their evolving views of a culture that often demands certainty rather than curiosity. The discussion, featured in Variety, moved between nostalgia, artistic philosophy and a rare vulnerability that highlighted the depth of their relationship.
A friendship that began at sixteen returns to the screen with fresh honesty
The two first met more than forty years ago when Roberts was still a teenage newcomer and Penn was already entering the ranks of serious dramatic performers. Roberts joked that she was simply Eric Roberts’ little sister at the time, but Penn remembered her as someone he knew would eventually find her own spotlight.
Today, both deliver compelling performances in films that probe the fractures in modern society. Roberts stars in Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, playing a Yale philosophy professor struggling through a moral and intellectual firestorm. Penn plays a revenge driven military figure in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Their roles share a thematic intensity that reflects their own willingness to explore emotional discomfort.
Penn and Anderson create a set where ego disappears and storytelling leads the way
Penn recalled his early encounters with Anderson, emphasizing how unaffected the director is by status or hierarchy. There are no oversized trailers and no personal assistants grabbing coffee. Everyone works equally on the craft, guided by Anderson’s intuitive decision making. Penn noted that Anderson often removes lines that many directors would cling to, describing him as someone unafraid of discarding gems to preserve clarity.
Roberts asked about the atmosphere on set, wondering whether it was joyful or intense. Penn said the environment felt deeply focused yet free of pressure, and that he felt completely safe with a director who never performed authority. For Penn, a real director removes insecurity and invites exploration.
Roberts on Luca Guadagnino, deep listening and what filmmaking has forgotten
Roberts described her admiration for Guadagnino, calling him joyful and endlessly curious. She recounted days spent around her kitchen table with co stars Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri and Chloë Sevigny discussing philosophy, generational divides and moral complexity. She said the most striking part of the process was witnessing genuine listening, something she believes modern culture has drifted away from. Conversations today become battles, Roberts said, because everyone waits for their turn to prove they are right.
The actress also shared how quickly she connected with Guadagnino, saying every cell in her body lit up when she learned he wanted her for the role. The two have continued speaking weekly even after production ended, something she said she has not experienced with any other director aside from the late Mike Nichols.
The value of discomfort and why Penn believes shame has a place in modern culture
Penn introduced one of the most provocative ideas of the conversation when he discussed emotional discomfort. He argued that art should not always feel safe and that culture has become too invested in avoiding difficulty. Penn said shame is underrated, suggesting that sitting with regret can produce humility. Roberts responded softly, offering the phrase real humility, signaling her agreement without overexplaining.
Penn also admitted that he stops reading scripts if something feels artificial within the first pages. Roberts laughed and confessed that she keeps reading every script because she always hopes something remarkable might appear on page fifty. Their contrasting methods reflected their creative chemistry.
Confessions, regrets and the thrill of working with great directors
Penn told Roberts he has never regretted turning down a role but has regretted accepting a few. He added that working with directors like Terrence Malick and Alejandro González Iñárritu came from a simple plea: give me a dollar and tell me where to go. He described Malick as gentle and unassuming, the kind of person one might meet in a diner without ever realizing he is a cinematic genius.
Roberts reflected on her long standing partnership with Steven Soderbergh, calling him the director who aligns perfectly with her intuitive acting rhythm. She said his speed, clarity and conviction make her feel fully seen as an artist.
Warmth, humor and the unmistakable bond between two Hollywood greats
The exchange ended on a humorous note as Penn joked that he may be the last actor who does not sleep early or use skin cream. Roberts called him impressive. Penn praised her talent, her children and her ability to bring joy to the people around her. Roberts teased him for deflecting compliments and confessed how much she values the friendship he shares with her husband, Danny Moder.
Their final lines felt as genuine as the conversation itself.
“Goodbye, Sean,” Roberts said.
“I will see you at dinner in ten minutes,” Penn replied.
Courtesy Variety and CNN
