Sean Penn was recently spotted smoking a cigarette at the Golden Globes event. In the image that has surfaced online, Penn can be seen seated next to Leonardo DiCaprio. Several social media users shared their reactions to the moment, with some criticizing Penn and suggesting that he should have stepped outside to smoke.
Sean Penn caught smoking inside Golden Globes
Sean Penn was recently caught smoking a cigarette inside the auditorium of the Golden Globes, held on January 11, 2026. The Bad Boys actor was seated next to his One Battle After Another co-star, DiCaprio, who was seemingly chatting with Kate Hudson at the time.
Fans took to social media to discuss the moment, with some voicing their concerns. A user wrote, “This can’t be legal.” “Lol, Sean Penn can’t even step outside to smoke,” another wrote. Pointing out the smoke many people witnessed on screen, a user mentioned, “Wait the waft of smoke I saw appear on screen when kpop demon hunters accepted their award was from SEAN PENN SMOKING FRONT ROW?!”
Meanwhile, some users didn’t see any harm in Penn’s smoking act, with one posting, “sean penn smoking a cig at the globes is that tiny piece of old hollywood you like to see.”
In a recent interview with W Magazine, Penn revealed when he originally started smoking cigarettes. He said, “I must have been 22. I saw myself as an un-addictable person. W. Somerset Maugham has a quote: ‘Men are vain, particularly young men.’ I was making a World War II–era movie called Racing with the Moon, and we were smoking unfiltered Ovals the whole time. After the shoot finished, this dark green carton of Turkish Ovals in the tobacconist’s store started calling me, saying, ‘You’re forgetting something.'”
Penn further mentioned that he then got a carton of cigarettes and started smoking, with no intention of quitting anymore. “I don’t try to quit anymore. I love it. I don’t recommend it for anybody, but I love it,” he added.
Originally reported by Shazmeen Navrange on Mandatory.
