Sean Penn has been in Hollywood for decades, but even for a two-time Academy Award winner, some projects feel special right from the start. His upcoming film, One Battle After Another, directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson, is one such project. The actor recently revealed that the script was so captivating, he ended up reading it in one sitting — in the most unusual circumstances imaginable.
A Naked First Read
Penn recalls being in Europe, traveling frequently, when the script reached him. He had been putting off reading it for days, despite knowing that Anderson was waiting for feedback. One night, fresh out of the shower and still dripping wet, Penn picked up the script with the intention of reading just one page. That single page turned into another, and before he knew it, he had read the entire screenplay in one go — without even getting dressed.
“I was dripping naked on the floor reading a script until I drip-dried and finished it,” Penn explained, laughing about the unusual memory. That first read confirmed what he had suspected all along: he wanted to be part of this project.
Why Penn Couldn’t Say No
It wasn’t just his long-standing friendship with Paul Thomas Anderson or the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro had already signed on. For Penn, it was the script itself that sealed the deal.
Based loosely on Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, One Battle After Another defies convention at every turn. “It was just one page after another that skipped convention,” Penn recalled. “And I remember distinctly hearing my voice in my head saying, ‘He’s going there.’”
Anderson’s boldness as a filmmaker, paired with the eccentricity of the script, gave Penn no choice but to dive in.
Meet Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
In the film, Penn plays Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, a psychotic antagonist who stands in sharp contrast to Penn’s real-life humanitarian activism. Lockjaw is obsessed with tracking down Bob (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a paranoid, washed-up revolutionary trying to survive off the grid with his daughter, Willa (newcomer Chase Infiniti).
Adding to Lockjaw’s absurdity, the character is also determined to join a bizarre white supremacist group known as the “Christmas Adventurers Club.”
Penn and Anderson collaborated closely to bring Lockjaw to life, working “page by page” to refine every detail — from his stiff mannerisms to his hairstyle, which Penn describes as something between a combover and a mohawk. “At some point, we had to commit,” he joked.
The Art of Transformation
The transformation into Lockjaw was unlike anything Penn had done before. Known for his dramatic and socially conscious roles, he relished the chance to step into a character so wildly different from himself.
The meticulous attention to detail extended to Lockjaw’s walk, speech patterns, and even his aura of paranoia. Penn explained that the hair and movements were chosen to reflect the inner chaos of the character. “This was the hair for the job that I felt when I read it,” he said, adding that these eccentric touches helped Lockjaw leap off the page.
The Audience Experience
For Penn, the story of One Battle After Another doesn’t just belong to the cast and crew — it belongs to the audience too. He was reminded of this truth during the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles.
“When I saw it the night of the premiere, I was reminded of something I probably haven’t been reminded of since before I was in movies — that a movie is not a movie until the audience is in it with you,” Penn reflected.
He described the experience as one of the highlights of his career, feeling a shared understanding between the audience and the filmmakers. “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.”
A Collaboration Years in the Making
Penn has known Anderson for years, but One Battle After Another marked a new kind of collaboration. Working with Anderson meant breaking the usual molds of storytelling and embracing unpredictability.
For Penn, this freedom was refreshing. “Paul’s very diverse in this film,” he noted. “I had no idea what the territory of the script was until I started reading.”
The actor compared his first read-through to seeing the film for the first time — full of surprises, shocks, and unconventional twists.
Co-Stars and Performances
The cast of One Battle After Another is stacked with talent. Alongside Penn, DiCaprio, and del Toro, the film features Chase Infiniti in her breakout role as Willa, Bob’s daughter. The story revolves around their survival, paranoia, and the constant threat posed by Lockjaw.
With such a strong ensemble, the film blends intense drama, eccentric humor, and action-driven storytelling, ensuring it will resonate with a wide audience.
Sean Penn vs. Steven Lockjaw
One of the most intriguing contrasts is between Penn’s real-life personality and his on-screen role. While Penn is known for his humanitarian missions, activism, and social engagement, Lockjaw is portrayed as paranoid, cruel, and ideologically twisted.
When asked what it would be like if he and Lockjaw ever met, Penn laughed and avoided giving details. “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 give away stuff,” he teased.
Why This Film Matters
What makes One Battle After Another unique isn’t just its eccentric characters or unconventional script. It’s the fact that it challenges traditional Hollywood storytelling. For Penn, that’s precisely what makes it special — a reminder that cinema is at its best when it dares to take risks.
And while the film’s premise is outrageous at times, its heart lies in the connections between its characters and the way audiences interpret the chaos unfolding on screen.
Conclusion
For Sean Penn, One Battle After Another was more than just another role — it was a rare opportunity to be surprised, challenged, and reminded of why he fell in love with acting in the first place. From his unusual first read-through to the film’s premiere, the project has left an undeniable mark on him.
With its powerhouse cast, bold direction, and unconventional storytelling, One Battle After Another is shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about films. And for Penn, the naked truth is clear: sometimes the best projects come when you least expect them.