Julia Roberts and Sean Penn reunited for a conversation on Variety & CNN’s Actors on Actors season 23, and their longtime friendship quickly turned into a sweet moment of appreciation for someone special in Julia’s life, her husband, Danny Moder.
During the episode, which aired Saturday, December 6, Penn looked back at their first meeting in New York City when he worked with Julia’s brother Eric Roberts on The Pope of Greenwich Village.
He remembered Julia as “Eric’s little sister,” likely still a teen at the time. She playfully replied, “Yes. I still am.”
As they continued chatting about their careers and shared history, Penn revealed just how fond he is of Moder.
“I think you’re phenomenal,” he told Julia before adding that his mom always enjoyed being around her. Then he praised Moder, calling him his “favourite cinematographer.”
Julia jumped in and joked that they share a “love” for Moder, which Penn didn’t hesitate to support with a story.
He recalled Moder once filming a project handheld and staying laser-focused while working quietly from the corner.
Penn remembered someone describing that moment as “the sexiest thing on earth.”
Roberts and Penn also reflected on filming the 2022 Starz limited series Gaslit, where they played Martha and John Mitchell.
Julia has spoken before about Penn’s talent, saying at the time, “Sean Penn is just the best in the game.”
She shared that watching him completely transform into his character was a thrill.
Their friendship has stretched over decades, from industry connections to working together onscreen.
But in this reunion, one of the biggest highlights was Penn openly admiring the man Julia built her life with, making it clear that the respect between them goes far beyond Hollywood.
