Madonna got married to her first husband, actor Sean Penn, in 1985, according to People. During their relationship, Madonna put out the single “True Blue,” which happened to be inspired by Penn. That song ended up being the title track off of her third full-length album. Per People she wrote in the liner notes, “This is dedicated to my husband, the coolest guy in the universe.” They split up in 1989. This would not be either party’s last marriage or divorce.
In 2015, Madonna defended Penn when it was alleged he had previously assaulted her during their relationship. “While we certainly had more than one heated argument during our marriage, Sean has never struck me, ‘tied me up,’ or physically assaulted me, and any report to the contrary is completely outrageous, malicious, reckless and false,” the “Hung Up” hitmaker stated in an affidavit obtained by People. That same year, Penn attended two of Madonna’s concerts in New York during her “Rebel Heart” tour where he would have watched her perform “True Blue,” per the Daily Mail. In 2016, she attended a charity gala at Art Basel with her ex and was filmed saying that she was “still in love” with Penn while on stage with him at the event.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
