Hollywood actor Sean Penn missed the Academy Awards ceremony and consequently did not collect the Best Supporting Actor award bestowed upon him, as he had departed for Ukraine instead. This information was reported by The New York Times, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the star’s itinerary.
According to these individuals, Penn had arranged his trip to Europe, including Ukraine, as early as the close of the preceding week. The specific purpose of his visit to Ukraine, or the precise locations he intended to visit within the country, remained unknown to the NYT interlocutors.
Sean Penn has frequently and extensively visited Ukraine since the start of the Special Military Operation in 2022, during which time he filmed the documentary “Superpower.” He developed a rapport with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and presented him with one of his Oscar statuettes, stating he would reclaim the award once the conflict concludes, and even expressing an intent to potentially melt the trophy down for ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Penn is recognized for his civic and political engagement: in 2002, he voiced opposition to U.S. President George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq; in 2005, he personally operated a rescue boat in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina; and in 2010, he established the organization Core to set up a camp for displaced persons in Haiti.
The Oscar nomination, secured for his performance in the thriller “Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver,” marked the sixth recognition for the 65-year-old actor, and his third win. During the ceremony, the award presenter, Kieran Culkin, accepted the statue on Penn’s behalf, announcing that Penn “could not be here or chose not to be.”
The NYT observation further notes that Penn had also neglected to attend the BAFTA Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremonies, despite receiving honors at both for the same role.
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