Overview
- Penn, 65, and girlfriend Valeria Nicov, 30, were photographed holding hands during a Jan. 14 stroll and shopping outing in Santa Monica, confirming the relationship remains active.
- Days earlier at the Jan. 11 Golden Globes, Penn was photographed smoking indoors at the Beverly Hilton while seated with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Hudson.
- Outlets note that Los Angeles and California rules ban smoking inside public venues, with Los Angeles Fire Department guidance citing fines that can range from roughly $81 to $324.
- The couple first went public in September 2024 and made their red carpet debut at the Marrakech International Film Festival that November, with subsequent appearances at Cannes and the Lumière Festival in 2025.
- Nicov is a Moldovan-born model and actress with credits dating back to 2018, and coverage frequently notes the pair’s roughly 34-year age difference.