Sean Penn has waded back into the dating pool. On Wednesday, the American Lion star hit up the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Gala with Minka Kelly by his side. The pair looked rather smitten as they snuggled up close and Penn, 55, draped his arm around her back. Kelly dressed up for her date night, opting for a sexy strapless number with a sweetheart neckline.
This isn’t the first time the stars have been spotted out together. After meeting at another charity event, a benefit Penn threw for his Haiti relief organization, J/P HRO, they took in a “very pricey meal” at Thomas Keller’s famed French Laundry restaurant in Napa, Calif. It’s probably worth noting that the dinner was in honor of Kelly’s 35th birthday and happened less than two weeks after news broke that Penn’s engagement to Charlize Theron had been called off.
The couple were joined by friends for the dining experience, but an insider insisted it was still “their first date.” For what it’s worth, Penn picked up the tab. Still, the actress insisted nothing romantic was going on.
“Not my nature to address gossip but hoping this last one goes away already,” she tweeted. “Not dating a friend I had a group dinner with. #Sillymedia.”
So, not to jump to any conclusions, but the pair definitely looked close at this latest public appearance. We’ll have to wait and see whether Kelly denies the dating rumors a second time.
Also in attendance at the star-powered gala were Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom — though they made sure not to pose together on the red carpet. Once inside, however, it was a whole different story, according to a source.
