Real-Life Celebrity Breakups: Robin Wright and Sean Penn

Stories about Robin Wright and Sean Penn’s on-and-off-again relationship splashed across the tabloids over the course of their nearly 20-year romance, and while they broke up and got back together quite a few times, they tried to make it work for the sake of their family.

While relationships are hard no matter what, they somehow seem to be even harder in Hollywood. From how the couple first met to their eventual split, find out more about this once great celebrity romance.

How Did Robin Wright and Sean Penn Meet?

The couple reportedly met prior to working together, but they became very close while working on the film, State of Grace, in 1989. Penn was coming off of his divorce from pop icon Madonna, but they quickly jumped into a relationship.

Starting a Family
Nearly two years after falling in love on set, Wright welcomed their daughter, Dylan Frances, in April 1991. She was forced to pull out of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves because of her pregnancy. They welcomed their son, Hopper Jack, in August 1993 and, again, Wright had to back out of playing Abby McDeere in The Firm because of her pregnancy.

Taking a Break
After welcoming their two children, Penn and Wright split up for a period of time in the mid-‘90s. During their break, Penn had a brief relationship with singer-songwriter, Jewel. Jewel opened up about their romance in her memoir, Never Broken, and revealed they even attended the Venice Film Festival together before he decided to end their relationship.

The Wedding

Following their break, the two gave their relationship another chance, reportedly for the sake of their family. The couple tied the knot in 1996 and Wright even officially changed her name to Robin Wright Penn as a sign of her commitment to the actor, as well as to their family.

Parting Ways
Despite giving their marriage a real shot, Penn and Wright reportedly had a very tumultuous relationship. The couple first announced their plans to divorce in December 2007, but the petition was withdrawn just months later. Then, after two years, Penn filed for separation, and Wright filed for divorce in August 2009. The divorce was finalized on July 22, 2010.