At 65, Sean Penn is still unbelievably jacked – this is how

SEAN PENN has long been regarded as one of Hollywood’s most talented actors, but the Oscar winner’s physical presence deserves just as much attention. In his latest role as Colonel Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, Penn’s muscular build is impossible to miss – and for what it’s worth, Sean, I don’t think that shirt was too tight. The film is a reminder that, at 65, Penn is still operating at a level that men half his age struggle to reach.

What’s interesting is that Penn has never been particularly forthcoming about how he trains. “I’ve said before I don’t like necessarily to talk about training routines. It’s actually not too interesting,” he said in 2015. Yet despite his reluctance to spell out routines or rep schemes, fragments of his approach have surfaced over more than four decades of consistent training. Now, we have enough to paint a clear picture of how he’s managed to stay strong well into his sixties.

How Sean Penn’s approach to fitness has evolved

Penn’s commitment to strength training dates back to the mid-1980s, when he added noticeable size for At Close Range. To do it, he turned to the late Vince Gironda, a legendary trainer whose client list included Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane. Gironda was famous for his uncompromising standards and his brutally effective 8×8 training method, which emphasised volume and intensity. Penn embraced the process fully, and the results were obvious on screen. From that point on, lifting became a permanent fixture in his life.

As the years went on, Penn adapted his training to suit both his age and the demands of specific roles. For physically taxing performances, including his turn as ex–Special Forces operative Jim Terrier in The Gunman, the focus shifted towards compound, functional movements. Heavy lifts such as thrusters and power cleans were performed for low reps and multiple sets, building strength and power, before finishing with lighter isolation work at higher repetitions to refine muscle and support recovery.

How does Sean Penn stay fit now?

Outside the weight room, Penn stays active through surfing and running, using both to complement his resistance training and maintain cardiovascular fitness. He’s also been known to dial back smoking while preparing for roles, a reminder that lifestyle choices still play a meaningful role in physical performance, regardless of age.

Penn also has a long-standing interest in combat sports, particularly Krav Maga. “I’ve been practising Krav Maga for several years now, not really a sport, more of a close combat technique taught to the Israeli military,” he has said in the past. “It’s meant to neutralise and disarm.” That experience translated directly to The Gunman, where Krav Maga was chosen as the film’s primary combat style to align with Penn’s existing skill set.

Boxing is another long-time passion. Penn has previously shared an unlikely training partnership with Bob Dylan. “Bob Dylan, turns out, is a student of boxing, and I had a 16-foot punching ring at my house and I was friendly with his son,” Penn told Jimmy Fallon. “And at some point, Jesse, his son, said to me, “You know, my dad would like to spar.”

“That went on for about a month, I think. About seven or eight o’clock in the morning, with his hoodie on and about six bull mastiffs coming out of a VW van. There wasn’t a lot of conversation, it was kind of like ‘Good? Good.’ And we’d spar.”

Taken together, Penn’s approach offers a clear lesson: be consistent. At 65, his physique isn’t the product of a few brief periods of training, but the result of treating fitness as a lifelong practice rather than a phase.

Sean Penn Spotted Packing on the PDA with Actress 34 Years His Junior

Sean Penn is sparking fresh romance rumors after being caught in a series of intimate moments with actress Valeria Nicov on the streets of Madrid over the weekend. Since his divorce from Leila George, the 64-year-old titan has been frequently spotted in the company of a string of young, glamorous women.

According to Daily Mail, Penn and Nicov were photographed looking very much like a couple during a weekend date in the Spanish capital. The 64-year-old Oscar winner and his younger flame opted for casual attire and appeared unable to take their eyes off one another. The pair was seen laughing, sharing affectionate gestures, and locking lips in a passionate street-side “make-out” session.

Penn’s new interest is 30-year-old Valeria Nicov, a Moldovan model and actress. A polyglot who speaks several languages, Nicov has appeared in a handful of indie projects since 2018. The age gap between the Mystic River star and Nicov is a notable 34 years—making her younger than both of the actor’s adult children.

Since finalizing his divorce from actress Leila George (who was 32 years his junior) in 2022, Penn has fully embraced the bachelor lifestyle. Before his outing with Nicov, the ex-husband of Madonna had been linked to Olga Korotyayeva, Nathalie Kelley, and several other beauties.

Just months ago, Penn opened up about his newfound happiness in flying solo. Speaking to The New York Times in June 2024, the Hollywood veteran expressed a desire for casual dating while avoiding emotional turmoil. “I’m just free. If I’m going to be in a relationship, I’m still going to be free,” the Academy Award winner stated. “I don’t think I’m going to have my heart broken by romance again.” He also noted that while he used to crave drama in his love life, he now feels differently; even when “madly in love,” unnecessary conflict is a total dealbreaker for him.

Penn further reflected on his past, admitting that throughout his life, his relationships often fell into a pattern where “the first thing I notice in the morning is wondering what I’m going to do to make them happy that day.” The actor added poignantly that this level of devotion was “rarely reciprocated.”

Born in 1960, Sean Penn is a powerhouse actor and director in Hollywood. After making his debut with a minor role in Little House on the Prairie (1974), he rose to stardom in classics like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Bad Boys, and At Close Range. His powerhouse performances in Dead Man Walking and I Am Sam solidified his status, while his directorial efforts earned critical acclaim. Over a career spanning more than 50 films, he has secured two Best Actor Oscars for his roles in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008).

Beyond his talent, Penn is notorious for his complex and high-profile dating history. He has been linked to a roster of A-listers including Elizabeth McGovern, Jewel, Charlize Theron, and Scarlett Johansson. He has walked down the aisle three times: first to Madonna in 1985 (a marriage that dominated tabloids before ending four years later), followed by a tumultuous, on-and-off marriage to Robin Wright. The pair, who share two children, wed in 1996 and finalized their divorce in 2010. Most recently, he married Leila George in 2020, though the union collapsed after just over a year.