Sean Penn wanted to name son 'Steak' due to love of meat

LOS ANGELES, June 15 (UPI) -- Sean Penn's love of meat led him to nearly name his son "Steak."

The 55-year-old actor's son, Hopper Penn, revealed as much while speaking to Interview magazine. Hopper Penn is the only son of Sean Penn and actress Robin Wright, who split in 2009 after 13 years of marriage.

"[My name] has to do with Dennis Hopper; my dad was friendly with him and idolized him," the 22-year-old aspiring actor explained. "My dad wanted to name me Steak, the food, because he loves it so much. But my mom was never going to go for it."

"What they told me is that I hopped her in stomach, I didn't kick, so they went with that," he added.

Hopper Penn, who praised his father as "a really good actor," said his dad was the one who inspired him to start acting. He will make his film debut in Sean Penn's movie The Last Face after initially being reluctant to take on an on-screen role.

"Two and a half years ago, my dad was working on his move called The Last Face, and I asked if I could PA for it. He said, 'No, you're going to act in it.' I said no, because I'm very shy; I didn't know how to act," he recalled. "After the first day, I fell in love with it."

Sean Penn and Wright also share 25-year-old daughter Dylan. Hopper Penn previously told Elle Germany he and Dylan enjoyed a relaxed childhood in South Carolina, far away from the spotlight of Los Angeles.

"Life there was calm and simple," he said. "If we grew up in L.A., it might have been different because the [industry was] a breath away. In South Carolina, no one had to do with the movie industry -- everything was easygoing."

Hopper Penn is also slated for the movie War Machine with Brad Pitt, Allen Ruck and Will Poulter. Sean Penn, meanwhile, will play President Andrew Jackson in the HBO miniseries American Lion.