Sean Penn skips Oscars to visit Ukraine despite Best Supporting Actor win

Sean Penn skipped the Oscars and went to Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked him for his support

Sean Penn skipped the Oscars and went to Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked him for his long‑time support of the country

Hollywood actor Sean Penn was one of the most talked‑about figures from the 98th Academy Awards, but not for the reason many expected. While Penn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in One Battle After Another, he was notably absent from the Dolby Theatre ceremony and for a reason that quickly became clear to fans and observers alike.

Rather than attend the Oscars on March 15, Penn travelled to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he is known for his ongoing support of the country amid the war with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media soon after the ceremony, sharing photos of him with Penn and thanking the actor for standing with Ukraine since the beginning of the full‑scale war. “Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is,” Zelenskyy wrote, highlighting Penn’s commitment and long‑running advocacy.

Penn’s relationship with Ukraine goes back years. He has visited the country multiple times since Russia’s invasion in 2022, engaged with humanitarian efforts and even co‑directed a documentary that chronicled Zelenskyy’s leadership during the conflict. In 2022 he famously lent one of his Oscars to Zelenskyy as a symbolic gesture of solidarity, and that association has continued to define much of his recent activism.

On Oscars night, Penn’s decision not to return to Hollywood was noticed by the audience and presenters alike. Actor Kieran Culkin accepted the award on his behalf and joked that Penn “couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to,” a light‑hearted moment that underscored a much more serious choice in the background.