Ungakhathazeki, asikavuki nango-1989 futhi sigxuma sengathi siyahlanya esigqini saleyo single 'Like A Prayer', ngisho noMadonna noSean Penn abakaze bangene komunye umugqa njengakudala. . Konke kuqala ngoSepthemba odlule lapho U-Lee Daniels, umdali wochungechunge oluthi 'Empire', uphumele obala evikela uTerrence Howard mayelana necala lomlingisi lodlame olubhekiswe kunkosikazi wakhe. Engxoxweni yephephabhuku iHollywood Reporter: "UTerrence akenzanga lutho oluhlukile kunalokho okwenziwa uMarlon Brando noma uSean Penn, futhi kungazelelwe useyidemoni elibi".
USean Penn, okwathi ngemva kokuzwa amazwi ka-Lee Daniels akazange angabaze ukuzibandakanya ngokugcwele empini yezomthetho ngokumelene nomdali 'woMbuso', uthole usizo lwakamuva lukaMadonna, ashade naye kusukela ngo-1985 kuya ku-1989 owadlala esihlokweni esingaphezu kwesisodwa mayelana nezimpi ezishube kakhulu. UMadonna uphumele obala evikela uSean Penn esitatimendeni esibhalwe phansi ethulwe izolo enkantolo yaseNew York: "Impela saba nezingxabano ezingaphezu kweyodwa phakathi nomshado wethu, kodwa uSean akakaze angishaye, angibophe noma angihlasele ngokwengqondo, futhi noma yikuphi ukwaziswa okuphambene nalokho kubi kakhulu, kunonya, ubudedengu futhi akulona iqiniso.".
I-Queen of Pop iphinde yakhuluma ngamacala okusolakala ukuthi aphathwe kabi ngumlingisi ngo-1987 no-1989.: “Ngiyazazi izinsolo eziqubuke ngemuva kwesigameko sango-1987, lapho, ngokwamaphepha ephephandaba, uPenn wangishaya ngenduku ye-baseball. Ulwazi olushicilelwe lungamanga ngokuphelele.. NgoZibandlela ka-1989, uMadonna waya ehhovisi likasherifu waseMalibu eyobika uPenn ngezinsolo zokulimala emzimbeni, nakuba kwakunguyena owagcina ehoxise isikhalazo ngesonto elilandelayo. USean Penn uthe lesi sikhalazo siwumphumela "ukuhlasela komona".
Icala elifakwe u-Lee Daniels lithi mayelana nalokhu “Into ekhathaza kakhulu ukuthi baqhathanisa nephutha uPenn noHoward, njengoba nakuba ebenezinkinga ngomthetho, UPenn akakaze aboshwe, ingasaphathwa eyokutholwa enecala lodlame lwasekhaya., njengoba amakhosikazi akhe akudala, kuhlanganise noMadonna, bengaqinisekisa.".