Madonna Was 'Genuinely in Love' with Ex-Husband Sean Penn, Says 'Material Girl' Video Producer in New Doc

Mar. 15, 2025

Left: Madonna in 2016. Right: Sean Penn in November 2024.Photo:Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

MadonnaandSean Penn’smarriage may have been a tumultuous one, but the Queen of Pop was “genuinely in love” with the actor, according to the director of the music video that brought them together.

“It was like a bomb went off," Oreck, 69, adds of when the pair started dating. “America’s bad boy and America’s bad girl.”

Madonna, now 66, and Penn, now 64, began dating in February 1985 after meeting on the set of the music video.

Theytied the knotin Malibu, Calif., on Madonna’s 27th birthday, which was also the day before Penn’s 25th birthday, just six months after they first met.

Madonna and Sean Penn in 1986.Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Their big day drew huge attention. In an audio clip featured in the documentary, Madonna admits she “couldn’t hear the vows” during the ceremony because of the helicopters flying above.

“There were 10 helicopters hovering above everything, so you couldn’t hear anything. It got Sean riled up,” adds her brotherChristopher Ciccone, who is also featured inBecoming Madonna. Cicconediedin October 2024 at age 63.

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“Sean Penn was pretty pissed off and I guess wrote something like, “F— you,” in the sand so the helicopters could read it,” director Susan Seidelman, who directed Madonna in the 1985 filmDesperately Seeking Susan, says in the documentary.

“I don’t think she wanted the wedding to be like that,” Christopher adds. “She was trying to stop Sean from doing stupid s—. Looking back, all the craziness that went on [at the wedding], I think it may have been a bad omen for the future.”

Madonna and Sean Penn in 2016.Angela Weiss/Getty

Angela Weiss/Getty

Just over two years later, in December 1987, Madonna filed for divorce. “There was no one direct incident leading up to this,” her rep told PEOPLE at the time. “It was a series of cumulative pressures. There were many moments in their marriage when it was shaky, and Madonna was finally forced to face the reality of the situation — that they weren’t happy together.”

TheLos Angeles Timesreported that Madonna requested to withdraw her divorce filing within less than two weeks, but the singer later filed for divorce for good in January 1989.

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Despite their rocky marriage, the pair have remained on good terms, and in 2016, Madonna said she was “still in love” with Penn and evenoffered to remarry himif he bid $150,000 in a charity auction.

Becoming Madonnais now streaming onSky Documentaries.

source: people.com