Sean Penn, the acclaimed actor, was awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “One Battle After Another” during the Academy Awards held on the night of March 15-16. However, he was notably absent from the ceremony, opting instead for a trip to Ukraine.
Ukrzaliznytsia, the Ukrainian railway company, shared a video on social media showing Penn’s arrival at Kyiv’s railway station. The post stated, “We know how to keep secrets, which is why we remained silent about this flight until the last moment. Now we can officially say: Sean Penn chose Ukraine over the Oscars! He arrived in Kyiv via Ukrzaliznytsia. And we can confirm: Sean Penn did not smoke in the train carriage.”
This marks Penn’s sixth Oscar nomination and his third win, having previously won for his performances in “Milk” and “Mystic River.”
Since the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Penn has visited the country multiple times. His first visit was shortly after the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022, where he was working on a documentary about President Volodymyr Zelensky’s journey from comedian to leader. The project later evolved to focus on the war in Ukraine, premiering at the Berlinale 2023.
During a visit to Kyiv in November 2022, Penn presented his Oscar statuette to President Zelensky, describing it as a “symbolic trinket” and asked the president to return it only when Ukraine achieves victory. In recognition of his efforts, Penn was awarded the Order of Merit, Third Class, by Zelensky.
Additionally, Penn participated in the Ukrainian film anthology “War Through the Eyes of Animals,” directed by Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi. According to producer Oleg Kokan, Penn’s fee for the project was set at one dollar, as U.S. Screen Actors Guild rules prevent actors from working for free.
Sean Penn has opted for a visit to Ukraine over attending the Oscars, arriving in Kyiv after receiving the Best Supporting Actor award. His involvement in Ukrainian cinema and support for the country during the ongoing conflict has been notable.