Ukraine: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received one of Sean Penn’s Oscars as a “sign of faith” in his nation’s success in its ongoing battle with Russia.
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor and director who has won two Academy Awards for his performances in the biopic Milk and the mystery film Mystic River.
The Oscar was given on Penn’s third visit to Ukraine during the war. The video of the exchange was posted by Anton Gerashchenko, a counselor to Ukraine’s interior minister.
This is for you. It’s just a symbolic silly thing, but if I know this is here then I’ll feel better and strong enough for the fights. When you win, bring it back to Malibu, because I’ll feel much better knowing there’s a piece of me here.
Sean Penn, shared.
President Zelenskyy greeted Mr. Penn before leading him outside to present the actor with an Order of Merit award for his “sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization of Ukraine in the world.” Penn’s name is prominently displayed on a memorial plaque honoring the actor.
“There are three places in the world where all my pride will be the place where my daughter was born, the place where my son was born and this. Thank you,” Mr. Penn observed.
During the ongoing military war, the actor has been one of Hollywood’s most ardent backers of Ukraine. Mr. Penn was in Ukraine in February shooting a documentary for Vice Studios. The actor and President Zelenskyy have since met multiple times.
If the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided not to invite Zelenskyy to speak during the telecast of the 2022 awards event, the actor had previously threatened to publicly “smelt” his Oscars. Zelenskyy did not attend the Oscars this year, but a formal statement was made in favor of Ukraine during the ceremony.