Sean Penn Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar While Meeting Zelenskyy in Ukraine

Sean Penn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Colonel Steven Lockjaw in "One Battle After Another" at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, but was absent from the ceremony because he was in Ukraine for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, dominated the night and took home six Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Penn's win marks his third Academy Award, adding to his two previous Best Actor prizes. The absence of one of the evening's biggest winners drew widespread attention and confirmed Penn's long-standing personal commitment to Ukraine.

Penn in Kyiv while his name was called in Hollywood Penn's presence in Ukraine rather than at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles was confirmed from Kyiv, according to reporting by Der Tagesspiegel and Le Figaro. The actor traveled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has served as Ukraine's sixth president since 2019. Penn's decision to forgo the ceremony in favor of the trip underscored a pattern of engagement with Ukraine that has drawn both admiration and scrutiny over the years. According to Le Figaro, Penn had been expected at the ceremony before his Ukraine plans became known. The confirmation from Kyiv, as reported by Der Tagesspiegel, left no ambiguity about the reason for his absence. His seat at the Oscars went empty as the award was announced and accepted without him present.

"One Battle After Another" sweeps with six statuettes "One Battle After Another" emerged as the dominant film of the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, securing six prizes across major categories. Paul Thomas Anderson claimed Best Director for the film, adding to his reputation as one of the leading filmmakers of his generation. The film also won Best Adapted Screenplay, alongside Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Penn. According to telepolis.pl, the film is currently available on streaming platforms, making it accessible to audiences who missed its theatrical run. 6 (Oscars) — total Academy Awards won by 'One Battle After Another' The sweep placed the film among the most decorated of recent Oscar seasons, according to multiple reports from the night.

Sean Penn previously won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performances in "Mystic River" in 2004 and "Milk" in 2009, making his 2026 win his third Oscar overall. Penn has maintained a visible public connection to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, including a previously reported gesture in which he loaned his Oscar statuette to President Zelenskyy as a symbolic act of solidarity until Ukraine wins the war, according to web search results. Paul Thomas Anderson is an American filmmaker born June 26, 1970, whose accolades include three Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and four BAFTAs, according to his Wikipedia entry.

Penn's third Oscar caps a career defined by intensity Penn, born August 17, 1960, is 65 years old and has built a career recognized for demanding, high-intensity leading roles. His role as Colonel Steven Lockjaw in "One Battle After Another" placed him in a supporting capacity, a shift from the lead performances that earned his two previous Oscars. The win was reported by Reuters on March 15, 2026, the night of the ceremony, and confirmed across multiple European outlets the following day. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony proceeded without Penn in attendance, an unusual circumstance for a winner in one of the night's most competitive categories. His absence, explained by the confirmed trip to Kyiv, generated significant media coverage across outlets in France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, and Poland, reflecting the intersection of Hollywood recognition and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.