Thandiwe Newton has called Sean Penn a “gibbering fool” regarding his recent comments about “feminised men”.

Penn recently claimed “cowardly genes” have led people to “surrender their jeans and put on a skirt”.

The actor was asked about his views on masculinity by the Independent, after stating that he “believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminised” in a prior interview.

Asked to clarify his comments, Penn said: “I think that men have, in my view, become quite feminised. I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them.

“There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.”

Now, Newton has responded to the comments via Twitter. Sharing Variety’s coverage of the case she added: “Dude what are you saying? Like for real? You’re a jibbering fool…you used to be sexy but now you’re just tragic.”

In front of your DAUGHTER!? That poor little mite. Thank God her Mum’s so dope. Please stop ruining the brilliance of #LicoricePizza with this nonsense.

— Thandiwe Newton (@ThandiweNewton) January 30, 2022

Penn’s comments came while promoting his latest film Flag Day with daughter Dylan Penn.

Newton followed up her post on social media with a comment about saying this in front of his daughter.

“In front of your daughter!? That poor little mite. Thank God her Mum’s so dope,” she added, referring to Penn’s ex-wife and Dylan’s mother, Robin Wright.

She continued: “Please stop ruining the brilliance of ‘Licorice Pizza’ with this nonsense,” referring to his role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest.

In an interview earlier this month with the iNewspaper on the same topic, Penn said: “I am in the club that believes men in American culture have become wildly feminised.

“I don’t think being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.”