Penn's Naked Script Reading Lands Him Role in One Battle After Another

On September 26, the new comedy-adventure film One Battle After Another debuted in theaters, featuring a star-studded cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. According to Penn, he was so enthralled by the script that he read it in one sitting, completely naked and dripping wet after a recent shower.

Penn admits that he had been putting off reading the script for too long, "punishing" himself for the delay. But one night, he decided to take the plunge, and as he was walking to get dressed after a shower, he spotted the script and thought, "Okay, I'll read just one page." Before he knew it, Penn was sitting on the floor, dripping wet, and reading the script until he had finished it.

The script, which is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, was an incredible showcase of the "genius" of writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, according to Penn. Penn, who had previously worked with Anderson on the 2021 film Licorice Pizza, was drawn to the script's unconventional storytelling, which he said "skipped convention" as he got deeper into the plot.

In addition to DiCaprio, the film also stars Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and Benicio del Toro, further enticing Penn to join the project. One Battle After Another is now playing in theaters.