Why did Sean Penn miss the Oscars? Actor wins for 'One Battle After Another'

Sean Penn was a no-show at the 2026 Oscars.

Penn, who won the best supporting actor award for "One Battle After Another," skipped the March 15 ceremony, though his costars Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor were present.

Last year's winner Kieran Culkin, while presenting the category, joked, "Sean Penn couldn't be here, or didn't want to, so I accept the award on his behalf."

Sunday's win for "One Battle After Another" was Penn's third Oscar and sixth nod. Penn, in the film, played the evil nemesis of DiCaprio's Bob Ferguson.

USA TODAY has reached out to Penn's rep for information on why Penn was absent from the ceremony.

While it is not known why Penn skipped the major Hollywood event, the New York Times reported Penn was possibly in Europe, where he had plans to visit Ukraine, though the nature of those plans was not exactly known.

Penn's support for Ukraine dates back to 2022

Penn has long advocated for Ukraine and even gifted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an Oscar in 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine and the two countries went to war.

The 65-year-old previously had two Academy Awards − one for his performance in "Milk" and another for his role in "Mystic River."

The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that a new examination of photos show the golden statue Penn gifted Zelenskyy was the one won for "Mystic River," a 2003 crime drama in which he played ex-con Jimmy Marcum.

Penn has released a documentary, "Superpower," that follows his seven trips to Ukraine both before and after Russia's invasion. He is the recipient of Ukraine's Order of Merit in the third degree for his "sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization of Ukraine in the world."

Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.