Sean Penn spotted with girlfriend in rare sighting

Hollywood A-lister Sean Penn has been spotted out and about with his girlfriend in a rare sighting.

The One Battle After Another star, 65, has been romantically linked with actress and model Valeria Nicov since September 2024, when Page Six shared photos of the pair enjoying a European getaway together in Madrid, Spain.

The pair then officially debuted their relationship at the Marrakech International Film Festival in November 2024.

Since 'making it official', Nicov, who is known for her work in Lineman Up: Storm Soldiers 3, Paris Pigalle and Ténor, has joined Penn at a number of high-profile star-studded events, including the Cannes Film Festival in May of last year.

Nicov, who is represented by Premium Models and has worked with high-fashion brands like Carolina Herrera, Dada Sport and Bonanza, has also appeared on Emily in Paris and in French TV shows like Mike and Don’t Worry About the Kids.

Actor Sean Penn has been spotted out and about with his girlfriend Valeria Nicov in a rare sighting (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis / Contributor / Getty Images)

In new snaps, Penn and Nicov can be seen holding hands on a day out in Santa Monica, California.

Penn donned a navy blazer, white button-down shirt, and dark grey trousers, while the Moldovan beauty opted for a chic all-black outfit.

The couple tend to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, with the last time they were snapped out together being months back in July 2025 when they sat down for a romantic dinner in Paris with some fellow famous friends, per Just Jared.

The couple tend to keep their relationship fairly private from the public (Backgrid)

Speaking of Penn, he went viral at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards over the weekend on Sunday (11 January) when he was spotted smoking a cigarette inside the grand Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

He was sat next to his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, who likewise went viral for an extremely animated interaction, as well as Song Sung Blue actress Kate Hudson.

Speaking of DiCaprio, host Nikki Glaser also joked about the Romeo + Juliet star's dating history in her opening monologue.

"The most impressive thing is that you've been able to accomplish all of this [in your career] before your girlfriend turned 30," Glaser told the award-winning actor, adding: "It's just insane."

One Battle After Another won five awards total at the ceremony, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.

Penn was also nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, but Stellan Skarsgård won the award for his role in Sentimental Value.

And it wasn't just Penn, as his One Battle After Another costar Benicio del Toro, as well as Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Paul Mescal (Hamnet) and Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly) were also nominated in that category.