Director Lee Daniels Is Being Sued By Sean Penn For Defamation

Director Lee Daniels Is Being Sued By Sean Penn For Defamation

BHR Hollywood Reports.........Sean Penn has filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against Empire creator Lee Daniels.

The complaint, filed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court, asserts that in Daniels' recent interview with Reports, Penn was falsely accused of hitting women by being likened to Empire star Terrence Howard.

"[Terrence] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f—in' demon," Daniels told THR in reference to to Howard's recent legal troubles. "That's a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America."


Lee Daniels

The suit states that Daniels' remarks are "egregious," considering Penn has never been arrested or charged with domestic violence.

Penn also points out that Howard has publicly admitted to hitting his ex-wife.

The complaint, in part, reads:

"As a result of Penn's status as a public figure, he has for years been the subject of scandalous, scurrilous, and baseless attacks.



Sean Penn

But Penn, like any citizen, has a right to defend himself and will no longer tolerate the reckless and malicious behavior of others, who seek to aggrandize themselves or their projects at his expense.

Accordingly, and because of Daniels' defamatory statements, Penn brings this action for monetary relief, and to deter Daniels and others from their defamatory actions.

"Third, and most problematic, Daniels falsely equates Penn with Howard, even though, while he has certainly had several brushes with the law, Penn (unlike Howard) has never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest."