Sean Penn added another Academy Award to his career but did not appear at the ceremony to collect it. The actor skipped the big night despite winning his third Oscar for a performance in One Battle After Another.
Sean Penn picked up the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the fierce Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in Paul Thomas Anderson’s political drama One Battle After Another. The win added another milestone to his career, marking his third Oscar and his sixth nomination overall.
Sean Penn missed the Oscars for this alleged reason
Penn did not attend the Academy Awards ceremony, and actor Kieran Culkin stepped in to accept the trophy on his behalf. While on stage, Culkin cracked a joke to the audience, saying Penn could not make it to the event, or maybe just chose not to. The comment got laughs and attention, especially since the actor had also skipped several other award shows during the season. “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening — or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf (via Variety).”
Later reports hinted that Penn might have skipped the Academy Awards because he was traveling to Ukraine. Sources cited by The New York Times said the actor had already left the United States and was expected to visit the country, though the details of his trip remained unclear. His representatives did not comment on the reports as well.
Penn has spent significant time in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. During the early stage of the war, he co-directed the documentary Superpower while filming on location. Over time, he also developed a working relationship and friendship with Volodymyr Zelensky.
The awards run had already been going strong for Sean Penn. During the season, he picked up major honors like the BAFTA Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards for the same performance. The actor skipped those ceremonies as well. Before this latest victory, Penn had already claimed two Academy Awards for Best Actor. He won for his roles in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008).
