‘Daddio’ re-ignites Sean Penn’s joy for making movies

Before he signed on for his latest film Daddio, Sean Penn was in a stretch where he was no longer enjoying the process of making movies. The Oscar winning actor points to 2008’s Milk as his most recent enjoyable experience (prior to Daddio). For Milk, Penn took on the titular role of gay rights activist Harvey Milk and earned his second Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal. His first Best Actor statue came for his work in 2003’s Mystic River. Penn has also received considerable acclaim for his directorial efforts, which include The Crossing Guard, The Pledge, and Into The Wild. 

Daddio, written and directed by Christy Hall, finds Penn starring opposite Dakota Johnson as a cab driver who picks up Johnson’s character from the airport and falls into a deep conversation with her. Penn tells The Treatment that every day on the set of Daddio felt joyful, and he shares his thoughts on the film’s depiction of an increasingly rare, one-on-one human connection. Plus, he tells us why he’s keeping the door open for comedy.