Sean Penn notably read the entire script for One Battle After Another in a highly unconventional way—naked and dripping wet after a shower. This experience took place while he was traveling through Europe, carrying the script by writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson. The unusual setting underscored how captivated Penn was by the screenplay, a reaction that confirmed his strong desire to take part in the film.
Describing the moment to Entertainment Weekly, Penn said,
“I was in Europe at the time, I was traveling a lot, so I took the script with me, and it took me a couple of days, and I knew [writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson] was waiting to hear,”
and continued,
“And so each day I was punishing myself over it, and I came out of a shower late one night, and I was just walking to get dressed, and I had the script sitting there, and I thought, Okay, I’ll read just one page, and I started to read, and I don’t know, half a page, a page in, I’m sitting there dripping naked on the floor reading a script until I drip-dried and finished it.”
Why Penn Was Drawn to the Project
Penn’s initial reading solidified a long-held suspicion that he wanted to be involved in the film, especially as some of Hollywood’s prominent actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro had already signed on. The script also stood out for its shock value and its departure from typical storytelling conventions, inspired loosely by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland.
Reflecting on the script’s impact, Penn said,
“Paul’s very diverse in this film, I had no idea what the territory of the script was until I started reading, and I remember distinctly hearing my voice in my head saying to myself, ‘He’s going there,’”
before adding,
“And then it was just one page after another that skipped convention.”
Exploring the Complex Character of Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
Penn plays the unhinged Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, a stark contrast to Penn himself. Lockjaw is a psychotic antagonist obsessed with locating DiCaprio’s character Bob and his daughter Willa, as well as joining a secret white supremacist group called the Christmas Adventurers Club. The character is erratic and intense, requiring Penn to collaborate closely with Anderson to bring the role to life.
Penn revealed the creative process behind shaping Lockjaw’s physicality and appearance:
“This was the hair for the job that I felt when I read it, and how far we’d go with it was something that Paul and I went back and forth on a little bit, but at some point, you know, we’re going to have to commit,”
referring to the unique hairstyle that mixes a comb-over with a mohawk.
The Contrast Between Actor and Character
While Penn’s character embodies extremist views, the actor himself has a long history of humanitarian work, social activism, and political engagement, making Lockjaw’s ideology distinctly oppositional to Penn’s own. When asked about how a meeting between them might unfold, Penn declined to elaborate, instead emphasizing the special experience he had during his first reading.
He commented with a laugh,
“That’s a good question in so much as I won’t answer it,”
and explained,
“Because one of the things about this movie, the reading of it that I said I did — and I should apologize for putting [the idea of] me naked in somebody’s head dripping wet — but that first reading of it was my version of seeing the film for the first time, and I had such a great experience with the surprise of it that even in reflecting what that conversation would be might giveaway stuff that I wouldn’t want to have taken away from me as an audience.”
Premiere Experience and Audience Connection
Sean Penn described his emotional response at the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles, highlighting the importance of audience engagement in completing the cinematic experience. He said,
“When I saw it the night of the premiere, I was reminded of something I probably haven’t been reminded of as much since before I was in movies, which is that a movie is not a movie until the audience is in it with you,”
and added,
“And that night, I really felt that the audience understood it as well as we did every step of the way. And that makes it a better movie still, in some way.”
About the Film and Its Release
One Battle After Another is an epic action thriller featuring a strong ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and Tony Goldwyn. The film’s narrative blends paranoia, conspiracy, and intense character dynamics, drawing on the imaginative groundwork laid by Anderson and inspired by Pynchon’s writing style. The movie is set to premiere in theaters this Friday, inviting audiences to experience this bold and unconventional story.
