Sean Penn says #MeToo movement aims to divide men and women

Sean Penn did not mince his words while discussing the #MeToo movement during Monday's episode of Today & # 39; hui.

The actor stated that he was "suspicious" of the movement and that he aimed to "divide men and women".

The subject was addressed during an interview with NBC News & # 39; Natalie Morales and co-star of Penn Natascha McElhone. Their new Hulu series, The first, is set in 2030 and concerns the mission of the crew on Mars. The majority of the show's astronauts are women and the president at the time of the mission is a woman.

When Morales asked McElhone if she thought the #MeToo movement had influenced the series, she acknowledged that it could have an impact.

"Yeah, and for me in life, it 's not unusual," replied the actress. "I do not see that as aberrant, I understand this, on television and in many of our media, women have not been portrayed in this way, and I find it deeply disturbing."

Penn, however, saw things a little differently.

"I would like to think that nothing has been influenced by what they call the #MeToo movement," he said. "I think it's influenced by the things that are developing in terms of empowering women who have recognized and recognized by men.It's a movement that has been, you know, largely supported by a kind of salacious receptacle. "

When Morales asked the Oscar winner twice what he meant by "salacious receptacle," Penn began to elaborate.

"Well, we do not know what is a fact in many cases," he said. "Salacious, as soon as you call something, a movement that is actually a series of many individual accusers, victims, accusations, some of which are unfounded."

He then stated that "the spirit of the #MeToo movement" was "to divide men and women". When Morales pointed out that many women felt united by the movement, Penn continued to disagree, saying that he had spoken to women from "all walks of life" about the subject and that there seemed to be a "sense" of which is not represented at all "in the media discussion on this subject.

"I do not want it to be a trend, and I'm very suspicious of a movement that breaks loose in great stridency and rage and without nuance," the Milk star said. "And even when people try to discuss it in a nuanced way, the nuance itself is attacked."

After Morales asked Penn about it he thought there were "too many shades of gray" in the movement, the the mystic river the actor replied: "I think it is too black and white."

"In most very important things, it's really good to just slow down," he said.

McElhone said she and Penn were talking about the #MeToo movement and what it meant "a good deal".

"I think what Sean was perhaps doing, it's this sort of bubble of actors or people in magazines that have attracted a lot of attention," he said. she said. "Of course, it's great that they put the spotlight on the stage, but now we have to go to the places where it's happening behind closed doors and they're not going to be there." not heard. "

In addition to asking Penn about the move, Morales questioned the actor about the difference between acting for television and film.

"They're both nil," he replied. McElhone then told his co-star that his comment was "pretty offensive".

Watch the video to see the full interview.

(E! And NBC News are both part of NBCUniversal).