Reflecting on her life both on and off-screen, Robin Wright has shared candid thoughts about the challenges she faced raising her children with her now ex-husband, Sean Penn.
The actress, 59, looked back on a relationship that, while passionate, came with its fair share of ups and downs.
A Complicated Partnership
Robin and Sean first met on the set of State of Grace in 1990. Their relationship had its on-and-off moments before they tied the knot in 1996.
Over the years, their love story made headlines, prompting them to retreat to a quieter life in a small town near San Francisco.
Robin took a step back from acting to focus on motherhood, a decision she still values but reflects on with a touch of regret.
Parenting in Extremes
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Robin described the difficulties of co-parenting with Sean.
“He was gone so much of the time. He’d come back and be the policeman, and then he’d leave me with the residue,” she recalled.
She explained that their parenting styles were very different: Sean was stricter, while she tried to soften the edges.
“We were both extremes. They didn’t get that grey area in the middle, which is stern, and that is what they needed,” she said.
Children Following Their Parents’ Footsteps
Robin and Sean share two children: Dylan Frances Penn, 34, and Hopper Jack Penn, 32.
Both have pursued careers in the public eye, following in their parents’ footsteps.
Dylan has made her mark as a model and actress, while Hopper has been open about his personal struggles, including his battle with crystal meth addiction.
In a past interview with ES Magazine, Hopper shared, “I was doing a lot of stuff but meth was the main one that brought me down.
I went to rehab because I woke up in hospital and my dad said, ‘Rehab? Or bus bench?’ I was like, ‘I’ll take the bed.’”
He added, “Thank God I got out of that because that was the worst time in my life.
Because it’s not fun when it gets to a point where you just need it.”
Lessons Learned and Regrets
While Robin continues to believe stepping back for her children was the right choice, she admits she would have approached parenting differently.
“I have a huge regret as a mother and have experienced the fallout of this regret for many years with my kids – I wasn’t hard enough on them,” she told the publication.
A History of On-and-Off
Robin and Sean’s relationship was marked by multiple separations and reconciliations.
After first marrying in 1996, they planned to divorce in December 2007 but paused the process four months later.
They separated again in April 2009, only to withdraw the divorce documents the following month.
Ultimately, Robin filed for divorce in August 2009, and the split was finalized in July 2010.
Sean Penn’s Career and Personal Life
Sean, 65, began his film career in the 1981 movie Taps, starring alongside George C. Scott, Timothy Hutton, Ronny Cox, and Tom Cruise.
Over the decades, he has earned critical acclaim, winning Oscars for Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008).
Beyond his relationship with Robin, Sean was married to Australian actress Leila George from 2020 to 2022.
