One cigarette, then another.
Sean Penn was caught smoking at a table during the 2026 Golden Globe Awards ceremony instead of heading outside the theater at the Beverly Hilton in California to satisfy his appetite.
According to Vanity Fair, the One Battle After Another actor was beaming “inside the theater, right next to his table.”
Photos of Penn, 65, then began circulating on the internet, where he was seen pulling out a cigarette while Leonardo DiCaprio chatted with Kate Hudson.
Photos from that night show several cigarettes submerged in a glass of water, proving he had been drinking all night.
Many netizens then took to social media to point out a scene behind the scenes where someone could be seen smoking inside the theater, with one person writing via
A second person wondered: “Did anyone else see smoke when he won Best Animated Feature Film?! I thought someone was vaping, but it was Sean Penn smoking the whole time?!”
And a third commented: “Find someone who loves you like Sean Penn loves cigarettes.”
It’s not unusual for Penn to secretly smoke a cigarette or two during his public appearances, and has been caught smoking not only at press conferences and interviews, but also on red carpets.
Vanity Fair recalled a conversation with the Mystic River actor in the summer of 2025, in which he was “listening to[their]interview while smoking a cigarette,” but at least they were “sitting outside.”
In December 2024, Penn went on an anti-Oscar rant and chain-smoked during a Marrakech Film Festival press conference.
Penn was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film “One Battle After Another.”
The award ultimately went to Stellan Skarsgard for her role in “Sentimental Value.”
However, One Battle After Another won four awards, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Female Actor.
