Trending Now - Sean Penn Prioritizes Ukraine Visit Over Oscars Ceremony

WHO:

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, “Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, stated, “You have stood with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. This is still true today.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, referred to Sean Penn as “a true friend of Ukraine.”

Conan O’Brien, host of the Academy Awards

Jim Downey, collaborator with Conan O’Brien

Sean Penn, actor

Kieran Culkin, last year’s winner for Best Supporting Actor

Delroy Lindo, nominee for Best Supporting Actor

Jacob Elordi, nominee for Best Supporting Actor

Stellan Skarsgård, nominee for Best Supporting Actor

President Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine

Academy Awards, Oscars

Variety, media outlet

New York Times, media outlet

Conan O’Brien, host of the Academy Awards

WHAT:

Sean Penn won his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Col. Steven Lockjaw in "One Battle After Another."

Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on behalf of Sean Penn, stating, “Sean couldn’t be here this evening—or didn’t want to.”

Sean Penn is one of only four men to win three acting Oscars.

Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on behalf of Sean Penn, who was absent from the ceremony.

Sean Penn won his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another."

Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on behalf of Sean Penn, stating, “Sean couldn’t be here this evening—or didn’t want to.”

President Zelensky thanked Penn, saying, “Thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is.”

Kieran Culkin praised the nominees by saying, “Gentlemen, you gave us performances we will always remember,” during the Oscars.

The Best Picture award was won by "One Battle After Another," which had already won multiple preceding awards.

The first Oscar for Best Casting was introduced during the ceremony.

The in-memoriam montage ran longer than usual this year, featuring tributes to Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Barbra Streisand.

Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Col. Steven Lockjaw in "One Battle After Another."

Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on behalf of Sean Penn, who was absent from the ceremony.

Sean Penn has won three Oscars, joining an elite group of three-time winners.

Penn was absent from the Oscars to visit Ukraine, where he met with President Zelensky.

Penn has won both a BAFTA and an Actor Award in absentia during the awards season.

WHERE:

The Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, California

Ukraine

Kyiv, Ukraine

WHEN:

Sean Penn arrived in Kyiv on March 16th, 2026, after missing the Oscars on March 15th, 2026.

Sean Penn arrived in Kyiv on March 16th, 2026.

Sean Penn arrived in Kyiv on March 16th, 2026, after missing the Oscars on March 15th, 2026.

Penn's documentary "Superpower" premiered on February 24th, 2023, at the Berlin International Film Festival.

The Academy Awards occurred on March 15th, 2026.

The Academy Awards took place on March 15th, 2026.

Sean Penn's documentary "Superpower" about Russia's invasion of Ukraine was filmed in 2023.

Penn gave one of his Oscars to President Zelensky in 2022.

WHY:

Penn's absence from the Oscars was due to his visit to Ukraine, where he has been actively involved since the start of the war in 2022.

Penn has visited Ukraine multiple times since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, providing financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees through his humanitarian organization CORE Response.

The Oscars aimed to celebrate the art form of cinema without worrying about those who might not care about the films.

Sean Penn chose to skip the Oscars to focus on his activism related to Ukraine.

Penn expressed disdain for the Academy's decision not to allow President Zelensky to speak at the Oscars in 2022.

HOW:

Penn has visited Ukraine multiple times since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, providing financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees through his humanitarian organization CORE Response.

Penn filmed the documentary "Superpower" about the war and Zelensky's leadership, which premiered on February 24th, 2023, at the Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2022, Ukraine awarded Sean Penn the Order of Merit, third degree, in recognition of his support.

Conan O’Brien performed an opening sketch that recreated a scene from the horror film "Weapons."

O’Brien and Downey recreated a scene from "One Battle After Another" during a prerecorded segment at the end of the show.

Kieran Culkin ad-libbed a comment about Penn's absence during the ceremony, eliciting laughter from the audience.

Penn's absence was noted as a missed opportunity to address political issues during the Oscars.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 13:24 UTC)

Sean Penn won his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Col. Steven Lockjaw in "One Battle After Another," but he was unable to attend the ceremony on March 15 due to his visit to Ukraine, where he has been actively involved since the war began in 2022. Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on Penn's behalf, humorously noting that “Sean couldn’t be here this evening—or didn’t want to.” Just a day later, on March 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to Penn, saying, “Thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is.”

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 11:16 UTC)

Today, President Zelensky of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the unwavering support Ukraine has received since the onset of the war, emphasizing that this solidarity remains strong. Meanwhile, at the Oscars, Kieran Culkin accepted an award on behalf of Sean Penn, who was absent due to his visit to Ukraine, where he has been actively involved since the conflict began in 2022. Sean Penn, who arrived in Kyiv yesterday, is one of only four men to have won three acting Oscars and has been working on a documentary titled "Superpower," which focuses on the war and Zelensky's leadership.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 07:23 UTC)

In a heartfelt tribute, President Zelensky of Ukraine praised Sean Penn as “a true friend of Ukraine” after Penn won his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another." Kieran Culkin accepted the Oscar on Penn's behalf, humorously noting that Sean couldn’t be there that evening, and Zelensky expressed gratitude for Penn's ongoing support, which includes financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees through his humanitarian organization. Sean Penn arrived in Kyiv on March 16, 2026, after missing the Oscars the previous day, and he has been recognized by Ukraine with the Order of Merit for his commitment since the onset of Russia's invasion in 2022.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 01:29 UTC)

The Academy Awards took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where Conan O’Brien hosted the event alongside collaborator Jim Downey. Kieran Culkin praised the nominees, stating, “Gentlemen, you gave us performances we will always remember,” while the Best Picture award went to "One Battle After Another," which had already secured multiple accolades. This year's ceremony also introduced the first Oscar for Best Casting and featured an extended in-memoriam montage honoring stars like Rob Reiner and Barbra Streisand.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 23:12 UTC)

At the Academy Awards held on March 15, 2026, Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another," but he was absent from the ceremony as he was visiting Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Kieran Culkin accepted the award on Penn's behalf and humorously acknowledged his absence, which sparked laughter from the audience. This win marks Penn's third Oscar, placing him among an elite group of three-time winners, while his commitment to activism in Ukraine has been a significant focus of his recent efforts.