Not Penn-sive

‘Tis the season for Santa’s dark elf to come out of hiding and do one of the things he hates most--promote his own movies. Let’s hear it for Sean Penn, one of the stars and a driving force behind two high-testosterone holiday releases, “Hurlyburly” and “The Thin Red Line.”

Earlier this week, Penn had the daunting task of back-to-back premieres, which he handled with Janus-like precision. Old Sean sailed silently past paparazzi along that other thin red line--the carpet outside the Showcase Theater on La Brea, where Fine Line’s “Hurlyburly” screened Monday. Then there was New Sean, who actually posed for photos and occasionally spoke to snoops like us.

We took Penn’s pulse at Tuesday’s elaborate bash on the Fox lot celebrating “The Thin Red Line,” Terrence Malick’s long-anticipated war saga. We asked Penn how he’d been during all that high-wire, high-profile partying.

“Drunk and anxiety-ridden, not necessarily in that order.”

Cheers. And what was it like working with the legendary Malick?

“Terrence Malick has been a hero of mine. You’re lucky to be in his presence as a man and a filmmaker because he’s kind and intelligent, and I think the movie is kind and intelligent.”

In fact, Penn’s participation was one of the perks that convinced Malick to direct his screenplay, executive producer George Stevens Jr. told us later. (Notoriously press-shy Malick wouldn’t speak for himself at the party.) Similarly, Penn’s early commitment to “Hurlyburly” helped director Anthony Drazan and writer David Rabe get that show on the road with a cast of actors’ actors, including Kevin Spacey and Chazz Palminteri.

Pretty busy for a guy who says he’s tired of acting. But hey, when Woody Allen talks, you listen. Penn talked a little about his current acting project, playing a 1930s jazz musician in Allen’s 29th film.

“I can only tell you that, like you, I don’t know the title. And I liked Woody a lot. Underline ‘a lot.’ And I’ll give you a little more stuff. [Allen’s producer] Jean Doumanian [should do unfun things with a historical figure we won’t name because we’re not in the mood for a lawsuit. Presumably neither is Penn, who reportedly has been threatened with a suit for calling in sick too often on Allen’s set, supposedly so he can spend more time with his family].

“But I like Woody a lot.”

Irene Lacher’s Out & About column runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on Page 2.