Sean Penn Explains Why He's Single, Says He'll Never Have His Heart Broken Again

Sean Penn is nearly as well known for his string of high-profile relationships as his humanitarian and acting work. But from the sound of it, that might change soon.

The 63-year-old has been married thrice, to Madonna in the '80s; Robin Wright from 1996 to 2010; and most recently, a brief marriage to Australian actress Leila George, daughter of actors Vincent D’Onofrio and Greta Scacchi. Penn has also dated the likes of Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, and Jewel, among others.

However, in a recent New York Times profile, the prolific actor—who was most recently linked to Ukrainian actress Olga Korotyayeva—is adamant that he's done in the relationship department for the foreseeable future. Though he admits that he once loved drama in romance, he now says that visits from "the trauma gods" cause any feelings to disappear.

Penn described his experience with many of his relationships as "the first thing I see in the morning are eyes wondering what I’m going to do to make them happy that day," which he said was "rarely reciprocated."

Although he says he has female friends who are "beautiful, wonderful people, wonderful with their partners or wonderful on their own" who demonstrate that love doesn't have to be turbulent, he's now "thrilled every day" to not be in a serious relationship.

"I’m just free," Penn told the publication. "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."

But despite the circumstances of his first two marriages, Penn had nothing but kind words for Wright and Madonna, the latter of whom he called "someone I love."

"It turns out it’s a lot quicker to repair a friendship after divorce if there are not kids involved," he explained. “It took Robin and I quite a while. There was a lot of drama. Much more important to repair it if there are kids involved, but no easy swing, right?”

Penn can be next seen opposite actress Dakota Johnson in Daddio, a film which almost entirely takes place in a New York City cab, out in theaters this Friday.