All About Sean Penn's Girlfriend, Valeria Nicov
Sean Penn is still going strong with girlfriend Valeria Nicov.
The 64-year-old actor, who is 34 years older than his 30-year-old girlfriend, has been flying solo at 2026 award shows as he celebrates nominations for One Battle After Another, but proved his relationship with the model is still on.
In photos obtained by Just Jared, Penn and Nicov were photographed hand-in-hand while doing some shopping in Santa Monica, California, on January 14, days after he attended the Golden Globes alone.
Penn and Nicov were first linked in September 2024, when Page Six shared photos of them kissing on the streets of Spain.
Their romance came as a surprise as Penn had recently expressed his happiness about being single in a June interview with The New York Times. “I’m just free,” he said after ending a year-long romance with actress Olga Korotyayeva. “If I’m going to be in a relationship, I’m still going to be free, or I’m not going to be in it, and I’m not going to be hurting. I don’t sense I’ll have my heart broken by romance again.”
Penn, who has been married three times, separated from ex-wife Leila George in 2021 after a year of marriage. In 2022, he revealed he was still in love with the Australian actress, who he started dating in 2016. “There’s a woman who I’m so in love with, Leila George, who I only see on a day-to-day basis now, because I f–ked up the marriage,” he told Hollywood Authentic.
Below, we have all the details on Penn’s new girlfriend, Valeria Nicov.
All About Sean Penn’s Girlfriend, Valeria Nicov
Sean Penn’s girlfriend is 30-year-old Valeria Nicov, an actress and model from Moldova. Per her IMDb page, she has been acting professionally since 2018, including shows like Don’t Worry About the Kids and Mike. She also had a small role as a bartender in Emily in Paris.
Nicov Is a Model & Actress
Nicov studied at a drama school in Moldova and at RADA, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, in London. She is signed to French modeling agency Premium Models. For acting, she is signed to Agence Plan A in France and Engers Portelli in the UK.
Per her Agence Plan A profile, she speaks French, English, Spanish, and Russian.
Penn & Nicov Have Been Dating Since September 2024
Penn was first spotted with Nicov on Sept. 7 in Madrid. Page Six obtained photos of them kissing and holding hands on a date night in the Spanish capital.
The following month, Nicov and Penn were seen together at the Los Angeles Airport, in photos obtained by Page Six.
Since then, they have been spotted together at many public events, including the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and the 2025 Film Festival Lumiere.
They Made Their Red Carpet Debut in November 2024
On Nov. 30, Nicov joined Penn on the red carpet at the 2024 Marrakech International Film Festival. The Oscar-winner was honored at the festival for his acting and directing work, and made an impassioned speech encouraging people “to be as politically incorrect as their heart desires.”
“Around the world [there is] this demand for diversity — but not diversity of behavior and not diversity of opinion or language,” said Penn, according to Variety. “I would just encourage everybody to be as politically incorrect as their heart desires and to engage diversity and to keep telling those stories, and I’m very proud and happy to be here. Thank you.”
She’s Friends With Camille Razat
Nicov appears to be close friends with actress Camille Razat, who plays Camille in Emily in Paris, and often shares photos with her on social media.
Before you go, click here to see celebrity couples with significant age differences.