Oscars 2026: Sean Penn wins Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor but was not present at the ceremony; why did the actor skip the event and who accepted the award on his behalf?

Sean Penn wins Oscar: Actor Sean Penn, considered a powerhouse film performer with a decorated career in contemporary acting, has added another Oscar to the list. On Sunday, Penn won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s political drama “One Battle After Another.” The win marks Penn’s third Academy Award but the actor was not present in the audience when his name was announced.

His performance in “One Battle After Another” adds another acclaimed role to a career defined by intense and transformative performances. Other nominees included cast members Delroy Lindo, Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Elordi, and Stellan Skarsgård.

The 65-year-old actor was not in attendance, so last year’s winner, Kieran Culkin, accepted the award on his behalf during the ceremony. “He couldn’t be here tonight, or he didn’t want to,” Culkin said after announcing Penn as the winner, as quoted by news agency AP.

Why did Sean Penn skip Oscars 2026?

Penn skipped the proceedings on Sunday and headed to Europe, where his plan as of late last week was to visit Ukraine, NYT News Service reported, citing two people who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

The actor bowed out from attending the BAFTAs and Actor Awards this year. In 2022, Penn gave one of the Oscar statuettes to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It's not the first time Penn has been an Oscars no-show. Previously, he had skipped the show three times when he was nominated for “Dead Man Walking” in 1996, “Sweet and Lowdown” in 2000, and “I Am Sam” in 2002.

Penn did attend when he previously won two Academy Awards for best actor for Clint Eastwood’s 2003 crime drama “Mystic River” and for portraying San Francisco politician and LGBTQ rights pioneer Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic “Milk.”

The actor first gained attention in the 1980s, with films including “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” but quickly established himself as one of Hollywood’s most fearless dramatic actors. Over the decades he has delivered acclaimed performances in films such as “Dead Man Walking,” “Carlito’s Way,” “The Thin Red Line,” and “I Am Sam.”