A $10 million defamation lawsuit has been filed by actor Sean Penn against "Empire" co-creator Lee Daniels for implying the actor abuses women.
The Oscar-winning actor asserts that Daniels' fresh interview with The Hollywood Reporter maliciously accused him of physically abusing women. In the interview, Lee discussed Terrence Howard's recent legal issues concerning the domestic violence lawsuit with his former wife Michelle Ghent.
"[Terrence] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f-in' demon," said Daniels. "That's a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America." he added.
However, the lawsuit filed by Penn, 55, says Daniels, also 55, has wrongly equated him with Howard. "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," part of the lawsuit said.
The case brought to court pictures Penn as an "American icon" where the lists of his humanitarian work are stated. The filing also recognizes that Penn, though a public figure, has been attacked with "scandalous" accusations and will "no longer tolerate the reckless and malicious behavior of others."
Penn mentioned that Daniels' comments are "egregious on several levels." Therefore, he is seeking damages amounting to no less than $10 million.
Meanwhile, tabloid stories in the past claimed that Penn physically abused the his ex-wife Madonna during their four-year marriage. As noted by NBC, the two got finally divorced in 1989.
Abusing anyone including women is unacceptable regardless of who does it, causing Sean Penn to react quickly to Daniels' accusations. While the issue of Sean beating Madonna was reported on several publications, will it be justifiable for Daniels to drag other Penn into the Howards' case? Many fans await the result of this $10 million defamation lawsuit Penn filed against Empire co-creator Lee Daniels.
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