Charlize is a ‘keeper’ – Sean Penn
Sean Penn told Piers Morgan that he thinks Charlize Theron is a "keeper".
The 53-year-old actor and the South African-born star made their first public appearance together at the Help Haiti Home Gala in Beverly Hills earlier this month, following weeks of speculation that they are dating, and Morgan has revealed that the couple confirmed their romance to him.
Recalling a chat with Penn as the gala ended, Morgan wrote in his column for Event magazine: "At 2am, Sean came over, and bear-hugged me. ‘Congrats on a great night,’ I said. ‘And congrats on Charlize too.’ He laughed. ‘She’s a keeper, that’s for sure… well, I’ll do my best to keep her anyway’!"
Morgan added that Theron praised the Oscar-winning actor as a "great guy" on the same night.
He continued: "’I’m so glad you two have got together,’ I said, ‘Sean’s a great guy.’ ‘I know,’ she smiled, putting her hand round his shoulder."
At the gala, Penn revealed the Oscar-winning actress – whose mother Gerda shot and killed her alcoholic father in self-defence when Theron was 15 – had convinced him to get rid of his own weapons.
Although he did not mention Theron by name, Penn referred to "a strong woman who happens to be from South Africa".
He said: "Being provoked by this aforementioned strong woman and considering how liberating of bulls**t and ugliness it would be not only get rid of the guns I have in the continental United States but also to destroy them, [artist] Jeff Koons and I had a chat the other day.
"The highest bidder gets every single one of my guns put in the hands of this iconic artist and sculptor… Koons will decommission [and] render inactive all of my cowardly killing machines."
