Where Is Sean Penn at Oscars 2026? His Reason for Missing the Show

Sean Penn received a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at The Oscars, but he did not show up to the ceremony on Sunday, March 15. His decision to skip the event did not come as much of a surprise, as Penn previously did not attend the Actor Awards and BAFTA Awards, despite winning for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at both telecasts.

The actor has always had a complicated relationship with awards shows and Hollywood in general. In fact, in 20223 he told Variety that he considered melting down the two Oscars he had previously won to provide Ukraine with ammunition in its war against Russia.

“I thought, well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine,” Penn said. “They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians.” Penn won his first Best Actor Oscar for Mystic River in 2004, followed by another for Milk in 2009.

In the end, he didn’t end up melting the trophies, but he also wasn’t holding tight to them. He actually gave one to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “I told him to keep it and bring it to Malibu after all this is over and his country is safe,” Penn shared.

Penn previously skipped the Oscars when he was nominated for Best Actor in 1996, 2000, and 2002 for his roles in Dead Man Walking, Sweet and Lowdown, and I Am Sam. This year, his nomination is for One Battle After Another, in which he stars as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw. While he won at the BAFTAs and Actor Awards, he did not take home the Supporting Actor trophy at the Golden Globe Awards or Critics Choice Awards earlier this year.

One Battle After Another was nominated for 13 total awards at the Oscars, the second most of the night behind Sinners, which led with 16. Its other nominations were Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Music (Original Score), Best Sound, Best Casting, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.