Sean Penn still pursuing Florence Welch because he loves “fiery young women”

A week and a half ago, many of us were startled to hear that a new couple had been formed. Sean Penn, 52, was actively pursuing Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Besides the fact that many of us are Flo fans and we don’t want to see her tainted with Sean Penn’s raging douche, there was another shock: Florence is only 26 years old!!! She is exactly half Sean’s age. And no one even believes that she’s that young anyway. So, I kind of hoped that the story about Sean and Florence was a one-off, something that would be eventually disproven when Sean went on some kind of cigarette, booze and supermodel bender. But the rumor is sticking around, and it still sounds like Sean is pursing her:

Sean Penn has fallen hard for a red-headed rock star half his age! Penn, 52, and Florence Welch, 26, have been making sweet music together since meeting in late October, a source tells The Enquirer.

“Sean is completely smitten with Florence and she thinks he’s absolutely charming and fascinating,” said the course. “They met at an event in LA and sparks flew right away. Florence may be half his age, but he was relentless in his pursuit and followed her around the whole night.”

Florence is newly single after splitting from her events coordinator boyfriend James Nesbitt. According to sources, Sean and Florence have been burning up their cell phone batteries since meeting on October 27.

“Sean loves fiery, young, beautiful women, and there’s something about Florence that has him captivated. He says that she’s not only gorgeous, but it’s her personality that really knocked him out. He determined to make something of this.”

[From The Enquirer, print edition]

I think that Sean likes powerful personalities in theory. Like, he likes a woman who will argue with him and who he can actually have a conversation with, but that will only give him hell a few times, you know? Thus, his default is “pretty and vapid”. And young, of course. If Florence is actually 26 (?), then I feel like she will end up getting her heart broken by Sean. He does seem to have that douche intensity that some women fall for… it’s powerful stuff. Ugh. Poor Flo.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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87 Responses to “Sean Penn still pursuing Florence Welch because he loves “fiery young women””

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  1. Astrid says:

    She looks way older than 26 and should realize what’s she’s getting into.

    • Addison says:

      This woman looks 40.

    • gogoGorilla says:

      If she is 26, then I am still in high school.

      Geez.

      Does the Hollyweird Machine really think we’re that dumb?

      • Sweet Dee says:

        Yes, they do. I’m guessing she’s 36 with an unfortunate bone structure that makes her look like a villainess.

        Sean Peen is foul though and she should stay far away. He’s so gross.

    • MaiGirl says:

      Kinda luv huh, but I agree. No way in hell is this woman 26. She and Jessica Chastain need to sit their lying a**es down.

    • Fran says:

      She actually looks a lot younger in real life. I’ve seen her twice now in concert, and I was like 4 feet away from here both times. She’s gorgeous. I think she just doesn’t photograph that well.

  2. bea says:

    That shade of blue is sooooo beautiful.

    He’s starting to look like the Chupacabra!

  3. Cliff says:

    He is a physically abusive man. Stay away!

  4. emmie_a says:

    I still can’t get over how *young* she is.

    • The Original Genevieve says:

      Me, either! Love her, though.

      Is it just me, or is there something about Flo that resembles a red-headed version of his ex-wife, Robin Wright Penn? Sort of the same square, angular features..?

  5. laura says:

    she could be 20 years older I would believe it ! she looks so old…

  6. Amelia says:

    The pedant in me is asking;
    Is Flo really a ‘rock star’?
    Rock star or not, I find it difficult to believe she’s 26. Maybe it’s another case of Agyness Deyn (sp?) – having to lie about your age to gets jobs/a contract.
    I could go on about how unfair it is, but I’m afraid I’ve got a Crackvent Calandar to decorate.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Aw, why don’t you like her, Amelia? Is this a UK thing? lol

      I think she’s so talented….

      • Amelia says:

        Oh, no, no, no!
        I LOVE Flo and the Machines (Sweet Nothing is a staple track on my workout playlist).
        My bad, I don’t think I was particularly clear. What I was referring to was her genre!
        Just being picky. I was wondering whether she was really rock music or dance music.

  7. RuddyZooKeeper says:

    The same woman described as “fiery” at 26 (sure, I’ll play along) will be labeled a cold, know-it-all, ball-breaking bitch at 34. Oh, the fickleness of man.

    • Happyhat says:

      +1!!

      Once she get’s into her mid-thirties, they’ll put her in the cage along with Rosanne Barr and Susan Sarandon.

      I totally believe she could be 26. Some people just look older. I can pass for 24 – it’s my reward for looking 12 when I was 18.

    • Miffy says:

      Ah but you see the difference is when you can label someone as young and fiery you can pat them on the head and dismiss all the small-man-syndrome they cause as ‘passion’.
      When a woman actually has life experience and facts on her side, then she’s just an out and out bitch.

  8. marie says:

    26? really? I would have guessed older. Anyway, I think she’s too good for Penn.. I dunno, am I wrong?

  9. Kiki says:

    How old is lady claiming to be? THAT is not a face of a young woman!If she is 26 then I’m a fetus. Sorry, I will need receipts for that one.

    • roxy750 says:

      ROFL, LMAO! Oh my gosh, I think this is like the funniest thing I have ever read….this week at least!

    • SandyStrange says:

      Thank you! How is it that I am 2 years older then this chick and look 10 years younger then her? She isn’t fooling me.

  10. Kimbob says:

    LOL….Kaiser, you picked out some real “jewels” as far as pics of Sean!!!

    God knows he puts the ugh in ugly! He is downright NASTY looking.

  11. Ms Kay says:

    Eh. When Sean Penn finds out she’s older than 26, one will only see a Sean Penn shaped hole through the window as he runs up the opposite hills.

  12. Ri says:

    Am I the one who thinks Florence looks like Blake Lively?

  13. Ann says:

    Any woman bumping parts with Sean Penn should be declared temporarily insane. He’s so nasty.

  14. Kiki says:

    Hey there’s another Kiki on this site!

  15. MsGoblin says:

    That’s a woman? Are we sure about that?

    • Beatrix says:

      a little nasty, but I guess that’s what this comment section is partially for…

      • stinky says:

        .. well to be fair … i myself was thinking that mr. penn DOES seem to like the ‘man-jaw’ look. robin wright & florence look alot alike, imo.

    • Lexi says:

      Yeah , serious case of tranny face.
      Still, run away as fast as your youngish legs can carry you.

  16. Kellie says:

    I love her music and I dont really care who she dates. I will say that I didnt believe she was 24 when I first heard her music. Women “from that part of the world” do not seem to age well.

  17. lafairy says:

    I thought she was in her 40s, I am so shocked! I don’t believe it’s her real age she looks like she could have birthed a 26 years old!

  18. oliveo says:

    I understand Sean Penn’s doucheyness… but I also think he’s a damn good actor whose contributions to political and social causes are all too often overlooked.

    • busy ramone says:

      The fact that he’s a violent abuser is often overlooked.

      The fact that he cracked Madonna across the head with a baseball bat is often overlooked.

      The fact that he scaled the wall to her home, tied her to a chair and tortured her for NINE HOURS is often overlooked.

  19. Jess says:

    I want to see her birth certificate. 26 my ass. MY ASS.

  20. Lara says:

    If someone told me she was 40, I would think she’s starting to crumble a little for 40. 26? Inconceivable!

  21. True Dat.... says:

    Wow.
    I know apart from the Holy Trinity:
    Emma Stone + Jennifer Lawrence + ..insert a European actress;
    most 20somethings get torn to shred here (some definitely more than others) but what has Florence done to deserve such snark?
    She’s a talented singer songwriter who has ‘Old Face'(whatever that is).I
    guess she ought to botox away her laugh lines and plump up her lips for a more youthful visage then she won’t be eviscerated by other women.
    Oh wait….

    • Jess says:

      Or, stop lying about her age and own her real age. She could do that.

      • True Dat.... says:

        But how do you KNOW she’s lying?

        Simply because she does not look how YOU think she ought to, ergo she’s a liar and deserves to be called out by your edict?
        OK

      • Happyhat says:

        It’s all in her cheeks and eyes. She’s got quite a angular jaw line, long face and hollow cheeks which are associated with old age in women. Plus, her eyes slope downwards.

        She just has these features naturally, I think, as opposed to having them because she’s old.

    • Carol says:

      Please, we all know most of these record labels make these singers shave off a few years so they could appeal to a younger audience. Home girl looks beat.

    • mercy says:

      +1

      Here we go again. Sean Penn looking like hell, older than his years, but it’s all about Florence with her flawless peaches-and-cream complexion “not aging well” and how “she must be lying” about her age.

      It’s not that easy to lie about ones age these days. Maybe if they come from a country where records are in a language other than English, drop out of school early to model, change their name and look, etc. and aren’t that well known outside their profession, like an Aggy whatshername, but that’s not Flo. It would be very easy for the British tabloids to dig up her real age if she was lying.

      • Carol says:

        Please- I would have said the same thing if Sean Penn was claiming to be 35. She looks rough for a “26” year old. Why lie?

      • mercy says:

        I was referring to the comments as a whole, not just yours. But since you mention it, I think Penn could pass for a good thirty years older than 36, and that’s not based on a handful of unflattering pictures. I don’t remember him being a particularly youthful looking young man either, but it never seemed to be an issue.

        I do believe there is a double standard that has only gotten worse with the prevalence of botox and fillers, and the media promoting women looking like little girls.

        Flo’s look reminds me of some of the classic beauties of the past, but I think today they would probably be dismissed as “old looking” or “man faces.”

  22. Jegede says:

    @True Dat
    IKR. You would think a woman, who is accused – sorry it has been established, as definitively has been lying about her age,- would at least go through the trouble of making herself look younger to avoid her ‘lies’ been exposed and the subsequent slings and arrows from other women. SMH.

    Off topic Waves @ the girls – Original Kitten, Original Cammile, Mercy and I Choose Me
    Haven’t been here a while. Miss you guys

  23. lori says:

    A Leo/Virgo match can be powerful. but look where it got Gabriel Aubry with Hally Berry. Walk away FLorence.

    • Genn says:

      …yeah, because it’s their zodiac signs that determined their behavior, personality, and ability to get along with folks of other signs.

  24. Darlene says:

    I would swear she’s 40. If she’s 26, truly, she is not aging well, which is weird b/c she looks as though she stays out of the sun. Bless her heart.

  25. Tuxedo Cat says:

    Run Florence, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction….

    • leave her alohan says:

      Thanks for posting that. I realize what kind of site this is but Florence has done nothing to deserve the things being said about her appearance. I’m no huge fan but I’ve been rooting for her since I saw her do an Aretha ditty with Jennifer Hudson, Christina and a couple of others. Her voice was not as strong as everyone else’s and she knew it but she sang the shit out of her part anyway. Lana Del Rey and Lindsay Lohan she is not. End rant.

  26. Sammijay says:

    I think Florence must have some sort of health issue or something, because 2009/2010 Florence looks different. Her face now looks sunken and more sharp around the bones. She’s starting to look a little Karen Carpenter-ish. I know Florence is already skinny but her facial features have changed in the past 2 years.

    Still she has a great voice and great musical talent, so it doesn’t really matter

    • mercy says:

      She was a little heavier when she started out. It might have had to do with her self-professed love for drink. She spoke openly about her issues with stage fright and how she had to curtail the drinking to save her voice.

      She does look tired in some photos, but anyone can take an unflattering picture and constant touring is fairly grueling. She said she will be taking an extended break. Hopefully Penn will be nowhere in sight. ; )

  27. KellyinSeattle says:

    Sean Penn’s drinking/smoking has really caught up with him. He’s only in his early 50’s, really? He’s incredibly wrinkled. They both look way older than their ages.
    When I saw the lead in photo, I honestly thought it was Sean Penn in a wig!!!!!!!!!!!!

  28. hannah says:

    Florence needs to stay away. Sean Penn is every bit as bad as Chris Brown. He is a vicious abuser of women and just an awful human being, regardless of talent. I wish you would rail on him as much as you do Brown. We can’t forgive and forget abuse… I just hope that if Brown sticks around, people will still be bringing up his assault in 20 years, instead of the forgive and forget attitude people take towards Penn.

    • Violet says:

      This. A lot of people seem to forget that Sean Penn is a abusive douche, and essentially the Chris Brown of his generation. This isn’t just rumor, either — he’s actually been arrested for domestic assault.

      Also, there is no way Florence is in her 20s. She looks old enough to be the parent of a 26-year-old.

  29. Thea says:

    Florence is a transgender. If you goggle it, she states “She is a self admitted transgender”

    • Violet says:

      You know, that’s exactly what I suspected when I first saw a picture of her. She’s lovely but definitely has a very masculine look despite the dress and makeup.

    • mercy says:

      Oh for crying out loud. Please take off the goggles. Lol. Like that wouldn’t be a HUGE story. The same tabloids who follow her love life would be all over that one. They’d take delight in catching her lying about her age, too. It’s happened to less famous.

    • DethHammer says:

      Is that really true? Where did you read that? Could you provide a link, if possible?

    • Thiajoka says:

      Whoops, never mind. Wrong impression made by being too tired and made a comment that was totally biased.

  30. Suze says:

    They both look older than their ages.

    They are both talented.

    But oOnly one of them has proved themselves to be despicable in their personal lives.

  31. voodoobiker says:

    Can hardly wait to see what the kids will look like EEEKKK

  32. HulaHoop says:

    I’m 38 and look younger than she does. I shall start telling people that I’m 28.

  33. SheilaK says:

    26 my ass. She’s 40 if she’s a day. If not then she’s living life too fast. She looks awful

  34. DethHammer says:

    So both that passport pic and Wiki say her birthday is August 28, 1986. Eh, she’s so talented it doesn’t really matter what she looks like; a rare feat that a person in entertainment can do that. Does she smoke cigarettes? That might explain some of the premature aging.

  35. Mary m says:

    I have a friend who is very similar to Florence in looks. She is 41 now (nearly an age to myself) but even when we were in our 20’s she always looked much older. Her skin is fantastic but she just looks older, I don’t know it’s her bone structure or what. Getting back to Florence I think the pics of her in the article may not have caught her looking her best.

  36. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    She’s fine and she seems to have great poise. I think she looks ethereal and willowy–like she stepped out of a Klimt painting or Étre catalogue– and who doesn’t like Klimt and Érte? It works for her and I’ll bet she’ll be Tilda Swinton’s protogée at some point. She’s got movie stars going for her (not the right ones, but…) so there must be something about her there must be aspect of her being pulling people in her looks and deeper qualities.

    She’s a dead ringer for Leslie Feist, huh?

    • I Choose Me says:

      Feist! that’s who she reminds me of. Thank you Jo. that’s been niggling at me since I opened up this post.

      So she doesn’t look like a particular youthful twenty six. Some people look older than their age, Blake Lively comes to mind and some look younger, Jared Leto. Doesn’t take away from her talent.

  37. Karolina says:

    NO way she is 26, her skin is sagging like crazy, she is at least 10 years older

  38. babo says:

    She looks indeed older than her years now but she should stay pretty much the same until her 40s. Her face is not going to change much. It could be a blessing in disguise …

  39. Susi says:

    Geez some harsh people here! She is 26 and she is fabulous No, she is not a typical Hollywood “beauty”, she is different and interesting and insanely talented. She does not look old, that’s just make up and lighting.

  40. Merman says:

    Reading some of the comments you can see why the Kardashians,the faces of Megan Fox and Nicole Kidman,Courtney Stodden and the career of Chris Brown exist.Sad.

  41. Good_as_Gold says:

    I don’t mind that she looks old. So what? We should be more concerned that she’s with the raging douche and gonna get herself burnt!?