Sean Penn said in 1988, aged 28, that he believed he had acted for the last time after becoming unhappy during a Los Angeles production of Hurlyburly. Despite his early success and reputation as an exceptional performer, he felt acting required him to expose himself emotionally on demand for money, making the work feel unsustainable. He ultimately returned and went on to achieve his greatest recognition.

Penn explained that the experience involved strong material, a talented director and cast, yet still left him miserable. Although the later film adaptation of Hurlyburly performed poorly, Penn continued acting and won Oscars for Mystic River in 2003 and Milk in 2009, before securing a third for One Battle After Another. The article also notes his directing work and a forthcoming thriller about the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack.