Julia Roberts Leaning on Sean Penn Amid ‘After the Hunt’ Flop, Husband Danny Moder Feels ‘Left Out’ (Exclusive)

Julia Roberts is still licking her wounds following After the Hunt’s abysmal reviews and box office numbers — and a source tells the National Enquirer she’s been turning to old pal Sean Penn, not husband Danny Moder, for comfort.

“It’s an actor thing,” says the source. “Sean can provide Julia with a level of understanding that Danny just can’t.”

The actress, 58, and the cinematographer, 56, have been married for 23 years, but she and Penn, 65, actually go back much longer.

During a sit down for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, which was published on Saturday, December 6, Roberts revealed that she and the One Battle After Another star have known each other for “over 40 years,” ever since she was a teen.

So when After the Hunt failed to resonate — earning just $9.4 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo — she naturally sought out peer Penn for support and advice, says the source.

“He’s a great listener and acts as a sounding board for Julia,” explains the source. “They speak their own language.”

The two Oscar winners’ mutual respect was on display during the Variety interview, with Penn describing her as all-around “phenomenal” and Roberts calling his craft and career “impressive.”

“I love the way your brain works,” she gushed over her former Gaslit costar in the Variety chat. “I just love your train of thought.”

Following the professional meetup, the Pretty Woman icon further raved about the “fun time” they’d had together on Instagram.

“The last thing Danny wants is to look like an insecure, jealous husband, but he does get left out a lot when it comes to Sean and Julia’s friendship,” shares the source. “Danny has to accept that he’s an outsider to that dynamic.”