Sean Penn quits films to save marriage

Sean Penn has pulled out of two upcoming film projects, reportedly in an effort to sort out once and for all his on-off marriage to actress Robin Penn Wright.

The Oscar-winning star of Milk was due to feature alongside Hollywood funnyman Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro in Bobby Farelly's The Three Stooges and play the lead role in Universal's drugs thriller Cartel. But he has pulled the plug on both. A statement from his agent Mara Buxbaum said: "We informed both productions that Sean was not available now."

Penn's troubled family life has been in the media spotlight throughout a will-they-won't-they divorce exchange that's been going on for 18 months. It began in December 2007 when his wife - with whom he has two children, a daughter Dylan Francis, 18, and son Hopper Jack, 15 - filed for divorce, only to reconcile a few months later.

Then, on April 30 this year, shortly before Robin went off to join the jury at the Cannes film festival, it was Penn's turn to call in the lawyers. He filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. But less than four weeks later he withdrew the petition, claiming he had made an "arrogant mistake".