Instagram/Sean Penn & Volodymyr Zel Celebrity Sean Penn skips his Oscar win to meet Zelensky in Kyiv. Read about his unwavering support for Ukraine since the war began. March 18, 2026 AceShowbiz - Sean Penn was notably absent from the Academy Awards ceremony where he won the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of the military colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another. Instead of attending the Hollywood event, Penn chose to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyVolodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.