So distant, Sean and Charlize a year on
TWELVE months ago they took to the Cannes red carpet arm-in-arm as a Hollywood power couple who were engaged to be married.
But as Charlize Theron and Sean Penn returned to the festival yesterday, they seemed unable to even stand next to each other – conspicuously placing their two co-stars between them.
Despite their break up last July, the pair were reunited for the premiere of their new film The Last Face, which stars the South African actress, 40, and is directed by Penn, 55.
But they seemed incredibly awkward in one another’s company. At the photo call for the film based in an African war zone – which has so far been savaged by critics, and even dubbed the worst film shown at Cannes this year – they placed Skyfall star Javier Bardem and French actress Adele Exarchopoulos between them.
Penn and Miss Theron have been tightlipped about why their 18-month romance ended, with the actress telling the Wall Street Journal simply: ‘We were in a relationship and then it didn’t work any more. And we both decided to separate. That’s it.’