Sean Penn thinks Charlize Theron is a "keeper".
The 53-year-old actor recently made his first public appearance with the South African star at his Help Haiti Home Gala in Beverly Hills earlier this month following weeks of speculation they are dating, and he admitted at the event he hopes their romance will last a long time.
Recalling a chat with Sean as the gala ended, Piers Morgan revealed in his column for Event magazine: "At 2am, Sean came over, and bear-hugged me. 'Congrats on a great night,' I said. 'And congrats on Charlize too.' He laughed. 'She's a keeper, that's for sure... well, I'll do my best to keep her anyway!' "
Also at the event, Charlize praised the 'Milk' star as a "great guy".
Piers wrote:" 'I'm so glad you two have got together,' I said, 'Sean's a great guy.' 'I know,' she smiled, putting her hand round his shoulder."
At the gala, Sean revealed the 'Prometheus' actress - whose mother shot and killed her father after he drunkenly fired his own gun into the South African beauty's bedroom when she was 15 - had convinced him to get rid of his own weapons have them moulded into a unique sculpture.
Speaking on stage, he referred to "a strong woman who happens to be from South Africa" but did not mention Charlize, 38, by name.
He said: "Being provoked by this aforementioned strong woman and considering how liberating of bulls**t and ugliness it would be not only to get rid of the guns I have in the continental United States but also to destroy them, [artist] Jeff Koons and I had a chat the other day. The highest bidder gets every single one of my guns put in the hands of this iconic artist and sculptor... Koons will decommission [and] render inactive all of my cowardly killing machines."