Sean Penn has smacked Empire creator Lee Daniels with a $10 million defamation lawsuit after some controversial comments were said during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Daniels stated both his lead actor, Terrence Howard, and Penn faced domestic violence allegations, but only one man's name was smeared in the mud, citing race as the cause. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday (Sept. 22) in New York Supreme Court, where Penn claimed he was falsely accused of domestic violence.
The 55-year-old Milk star called the statement "egregious on several levels." Penn believes Daniels not only acknowledges Howard's history of hitting women, but also gave the impression that he condones his actions. The actor assumes this is only a ploy to boost ratings for the premiere of Empire's second season. He has hired former federal prosecutor, Matthew Rosengart, to defend him in the case. Rosengart released paragraphs from Penn's complaint to The Hollywood Reporter to further prove his case.
"That poor boy [Terrence] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f-in' demon," Daniels said about Howard's domestic violence claims to THR. "That's a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America."
Daniels hints that Brando and Penn, both famed Caucasian actors, had a history of violence against women as Howard, but weren't treated in the same regard by the media. Howard has admitted to physically putting his hand on a woman. The 55-year-old director and filmmaker alludes people of color are often haunted by their past transgressions whenever the media puts the spotlight on them, but the same treatment doesn't happen to white actors. For years it was hard to read an article about Chris Brown without the publisher including the horrific 2009 domestic incident between him and former girlfriend, Rihanna.
"Daniels falsely equates Penn with Howard," according to Penn's complaint. "Even though, while he has certainly had several brushes with the law, Penn (unlike Howard) has never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest."
Penn is known for having a series of high profile relationships, including one with music veteran Madonna. In 1987, he reportedly hit the singer across the head with a baseball bat. In December 1988, he allegedly subjected the singer to a nine-hour form of torture where he tied her to a chair and attacked her. Penn was charged with a felony domestic assault, "corporal injuries and traumatic conditions." The actor avoided jail time for each alleged assault.
"As a result of Penn's status as a public figure, he has for years been the subject of scandalous, scurrilous, and baseless attacks. But Penn, like any citizen, has a right to defend himself and will no longer tolerate the reckless and malicious behavior of others, who seek to aggrandize themselves or their projects at his expense. Accordingly, and because of Daniels' defamatory statements, Penn brings this action for monetary relief, and to deter Daniels and others from their defamatory actions," the lawsuit reads.
The California native is now seeking millions in damages.
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