Actor Sean Penn's reason for not attending the 2026 Academy Awards despite winning best supporting actor has been revealed.
According to The New York Times on the 15th (local time), Sean Penn was not in Hollywood when he was announced as the best supporting actor at the 98th Academy Awards held that afternoon at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
According to reports, Sean Penn boarded a plane to Europe that day instead of attending Hollywood's biggest night. He was reported to have been in Ukraine at the time.
An anonymous source told the outlet, "As of the end of last week his plan was to visit Ukraine." The source did not specify what plans he had in war-torn Ukraine or exactly which area he would visit. It was also possible that Sean Penn's schedule had been adjusted.
Sean Penn's side did not comment on the matter.
Sean Penn won best supporting actor at the Academy Awards that day for the film One Battle After Another. This award was his third Academy Award. Sean Penn previously won best actor for Mystic River and Milk.
At the ceremony, last year's winner Kieran Culkin said in his stead, "Sean Penn could not be here tonight, or perhaps did not want to come. So I will accept this award on his behalf."
Sean Penn has consistently expressed support since filming a documentary in Ukraine in 2021. In particular, he famously gave one of his Academy trophies to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and said he would get it back if they won the war.
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