ENTERTAINMENTSean Penn Stuns Viewers After Taking a Drag From His Cigarette at the 2026 Golden Globes: 'This Can't Be Legal'
Sean Penn was spotted hanging out at his table at the 2026 Golden Globes, where he was seen smoking a cigarette indoors.
Jan. 12 2026, Published 4:22 p.m. ET
Sean Penn couldn't help but light up his cigarette at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, which was held on Sunday, January 11.
The Oscar winner, 65, was nominated at the ceremony for his role in the drama One Battle After Another and was spotted taking a drag in between speeches.
Sean Penn Sat Next to Costar Leonardo DiCaprio at the Golden Globes
A journalist shared a photo of Sean Penn smoking at the awards show.
Penn lit up at the film's designated table inside the Beverly Hilton's ballroom in Los Angeles while sitting next to costar Leonardo DiCaprio.
Fans were a little taken aback by the questionable move, with The Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz taking a photo of Penn smoking and sharing it on social media.
"This can’t be legal," the journalist wrote of the snapshot showing DiCaprio, 51, talking with Kate Hudson at the table while the Mystic River actor held the cigarette in between his fingers and placed it in his mouth.
Fans Were Shocked at Sean Penn
Sean Penn was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for 'One Battle After Another.'
According to Vanity Fair, an anonymous director who was at the Golden Globes shared with one of their reporters that Penn had "just lit up inside the theater, right at his table," while others A-listers at the lavish bash were going outside to find a quiet place to smoke.
"Lighting up is kind of a crazy move," a fan wrote on X Sunday.
"I’d be stressed sitting next to Leo too," someone else penned.
"Nothing in Hollywood is legal, bro," one rolled their eyes, while another said: "Sean Penn just doesn’t give a s--- anymore and you have to respect that."
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Sean Penn sat next to Leonardo DiCaprio at the 2026 Golden Globes.
“Wait the waft of smoke I saw appear on screen when kpop demon hunters accepted their award was from SEAN PENN SMOKING FRONT ROW?!” one fan chimed in.
Another person interjected: “Did anyone else see the smoke when they were accepting the award for animated feature film ?! Cause i thought someone was vaping but whole time it’s Sean Penn smoking a cig?!”
Sean Penn Puffed a Cigarette Indoors in the Past
'Lighting up is kind of a crazy move,' a fan wrote on X on Sunday.
Penn was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for One Battle After Another.
However, the statuette went to Stellan Skarsgård for his work in Sentimental Value.
Penn has been known to chain-smoke through events in Tinseltown, most notably when he was seen on a 2018 episode on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert inhaling a cigarette.
During a press conference at the Marrakech Film Festival in December 2024, he went on an anti-Oscars tirade and smoked a few nicotine joints.
