Sean Penn is suing ”Empire” creator Lee Daniels for $10 million for suggesting the two-time Oscar winner is a wife beater.
The beef between the two started earlier this month when filmmaker Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter that ”Empire” star Terrence Howard, who has a record of violence against women, “Ain’t done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he’s some f–in’ demon.”
“That’s a sign of the time, of race, of where we are in American right now,” Daniels reportedly said on the eve of the Emmy Awards.
He was commenting on the negative press surrounding Howard, who’s been “arrested five times for violent acts against women,” according to Penn’s suit.
Penn called the statement “egregious on several levels,” in his defamation suit.
“First in his purported defense of Howard, Daniels not only appears to acknowledge Howard’s guilt, he also seems to condone Howard’s misconduct,” Penn says in the suit.
Penn claims the remarks were made to bolster Daniels’ show “Empire.” He admits, in the filing, that while he has had “several brushes with the law” the ”Milk” and “Mystic River” star was never arrested or convicted for domestic violence.
“His ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest,” the suit says. Penn was also married to actress Robin Wright and this year ended a relationship with actress Charlize Theron.
This article originally appeared in the New York Post.