An excerpt from the forthcoming book "Madonna: Into the Groove: An Intimate Portrait of the Queen of Pop" details an incident where actor Sean Penn allegedly confronted photographer Ken Regan and spat on him. The confrontation occurred after a photo of Madonna, taken by Regan, was sold to Penthouse magazine.
The book, scheduled for release on October 27, features the work of rock & roll photographer Ken Regan and text by Tomás Mier. It aims to capture Madonna's pivotal year in 1985 when she transitioned from a rising pop star to a global phenomenon.
According to Regan's assistant, Craig Blankenhorn, the incident took place at the Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia. Madonna and Penn approached Regan to question why he had sold a photo of her to Penthouse. The magazine published the controversial nude photos in 1985; they were originally taken in 1978 when Madonna was an unknown art model and were acquired without her explicit approval.
Blankenhorn recalled that while Regan explained he was unaware of the publication's context and that the image would be on the cover, Penn became aggressive. "Sean started spitting on Ken and the photo equipment," Blankenhorn stated, adding that he had to clean up the mess. He also described a physical altercation, noting he was "not intimidated" and exchanged words with Penn.
Regan himself recalled that Penn "came at me," and while there was "a bit of a scuffle," the confrontation ended there. Regan passed away in 2012 at the age of 72.
The book also touches on Madonna and Penn's intense and sometimes turbulent relationship. They married in 1985, divorced in 1989, and later experienced periods of reconciliation. Madonna has publicly spoken with warmth about Penn in later years, but recent song lyrics on her album "Confessions 2" appear to take swipes at him, accusing him of being "threatened by her" fame and not wanting to "share the red carpet."
Despite these lyrical jabs, both Madonna and Penn have consistently denied past sensational claims of physical abuse during their marriage in the 1980s. Madonna even testified on Penn's behalf in a defamation lawsuit concerning these allegations. Penn has also addressed the rumors, admitting that one marital dispute resulted in a SWAT team being called to their home due to Madonna's expressed anxiety about guns, leading to him being briefly handcuffed. He has also previously denied rumors of striking Madonna with a baseball bat. In 2016, at a charity gala for Penn's Haiti relief work, Madonna told him, "I love you, from the moment that I laid eyes on you. And I still love you just the same."