Sean Penn Receives Oscar Replica Made From War-Damaged Train in Ukraine
Penn had also publicly stated that he would melt down his Oscars if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not invite Zelenskyy.
In a video that has surfaced online, actor Sean Penn—who had boycotted the Academy Awards—was gifted a replica of the Oscar statuette by Ukrainian Railways head Oleksandr Pertsovskyi. The statuette appears to have been made from damaged train material destroyed during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War.
In the video, Pertsovskyi is heard telling Penn, “You’re missing Oscars, so we made this one,” adding that it was crafted from a railcar damaged by Russian forces.
Penn chose not to attend the ceremony, which was held on March 15. During the event, actor Kieran Culkin presented the award for Best Supporting Actor and accepted the honor on Penn’s behalf.
According to reports, Penn had traveled to Europe just days before the Oscars, with the intention of spending time in Ukraine rather than attending the ceremony. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a picture with Penn, writing, “Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is.” He added that Penn has stood with Ukraine since the first day of the war and expressed confidence that he would continue to support the country and its people.
Back in 2022, Penn offered one of his Oscar statuettes to President Zelenskyy, who declined to accept it. Penn then clarified that it was a loan rather than a gift and told him to return it to Malibu once Ukraine wins the war.
Ahead of the 2022 Academy Awards, Penn had also publicly stated that he would melt down his Oscars if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not invite Zelenskyy.
This article is written by Nag Adithya, a student of Loyola Academy interning with Deccan Chronicle.