Julia Roberts and Sean Penn reflect on their 40-year friendship

Julia Roberts and Sean Penn are both considered towering figures in Hollywood, but they have different styles of acting.

But what is common between them is their friendships, which are over forty years long as the duo looks back on the bond they share in the interview with Variety.

"How many years do you think we’ve known each other? I think I know the answer," says the Pretty Woman actress.

To this, her co-star replies, "I’m thinking back to New York — the Mayflower Hotel during the shooting of The Pope of Greenwich Village.” 

His mention of the 1984 movie leads Julia to say, "So this is over 40 years." But the pair's reflections don't stop there.

Sean brings her brother Eric Roberts, who is also an actor, into the conversation, recalling how he first got to know her, "You were Eric’s little sister. I’d heard about you. But you must’ve been a teenager."

The Academy-winning actress then adds what she believed was her age at the time. "Sixteen, I think."

The Milk star on this reflects, So it’s been a while," before noting they have now become neigbours from being friends, "Neighbors, buds."

It is worth noting that Julia and Sean starred in the limited series Gaslit in 2022.