Sean Penn is a multifaceted actor, director, and passionate political advocate. Renowned for his outstanding portrayals in movies such as Mystic River and Milk, he boasts two Academy Awards. Beyond his cinematic achievements, Penn is dedicated to humanitarian efforts and tirelessly champions various social and political causes.
In 2022, Sean Penn declared his intention to destroy his Academy Award should Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy be denied an opportunity to address the audience during the Oscars telecast.
Sean Penn Threatened To Destroy His Oscar Award
President Zelenskyy garnered significant attention by making a notable plea to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organizers of the Oscars. His request was to grant him a platform during the award ceremony, aiming to rally global support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Sean Penn explained that he firmly believed his sole option was to dismantle his Oscars. His rationale was straightforward: he considered donating them to Ukraine, where they could potentially be repurposed into bullets to combat the Russian aggression.
Penn told Variety:
“I thought, well, f*ck, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians.”
In Variety’s feature on the actor, he was portrayed as chain-smoking while passionately discussing various subjects, ranging from politics and Hollywood to his own tumultuous history. However, it was one specific topic that ignited his intense anger, as conveyed by writer Stephen Rodrick.
Sean Penn Was Disappointed By Academy’s Decision
Penn expressed his disapproval of the Academy Awards for denying Zelenskyy a speaking opportunity at the 2022 Oscars. He remarked that the Oscars producers seemingly considered Zelenskyy not to be sufficiently light-hearted, resulting in the appearance of Will Smith. This reference alluded to Smith’s controversial interruption and altercation with Chris Rock onstage, sparked by a joke about his marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Penn told Variety:
“The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s not light-hearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith!” Penn said. “So why the f*ck did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f*cking thing? Why did I go to f*cking jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?”
The actor harkened back to a 1987 incident when he spent 33 days incarcerated. This followed a reckless driving charge and an altercation with an extra attempting to photograph him during the filming of Colors. In the same year, he was fined and placed on probation for assaulting a songwriter, suspecting an inappropriate interaction with his then-wife, Madonna.
Source: Variety
