After winning Best Supporting Actor, Sean Penn chose to fly to Ukraine to get acquainted with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rather than attend the 98th Academy Awards ceremony.
Penn did not attend the ceremony, although he did collect the prize for his performance in One Battle After Another. Penn “couldn’t be here this evening — or didn’t want to,” according to presenter Kieran Culkin, who collected the prize on his own dime during the show.
Zelenskyy later posted photos from Penn’s visit online, thanking the actor for his ongoing support.
Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is,” Zelenskyy penned. “You have stood with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. This is still true today.”
Since the beginning of the conflict, Penn has been engaged in Ukraine, particularly through his collaboration on the documentary Superpower, which centers on Zelenskyy and the nation’s experience during the war.
The actor has often blended his work in movies with involvement in politics and humanitarian causes. When discussing his past activism strategy, Penn stated that a similar attitude drives his efforts across a variety of sectors.