Sean Penn took home the Academy Award for best supporting actor at the 2026 Oscars on Sunday, March 15, for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film “One Battle After Another.” He was nominated alongside Stellan Skarsgard (“Sentimental Value”), Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”), Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), and Benicio Del Toro (“One Battle After Another”).
This was Penn’s sixth Oscar nomination and third win.
However, the actor was not in attendance at the Dolby Theatre, with Kieran Culkin accepting the award on his behalf.
“Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf,” Culkin joked on stage.
And now, the reason why he missed the awards show is known.
Sean Penn Is In Ukraine
Penn is currently in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharing a photo of the two meeting on his Instagram page on Monday, March 16.
“Because of you, Sean, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is. You have been with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. And today as well. And we know that you will continue to stand with our country and our people,” the caption on the post read.
According to sources who spoke with the New York Times, his visit to Ukraine has been planned since last week, but they “did not specify what he would be doing there or where precisely within the country he would be going.”
Full List of 2026 Oscar Winners
GettyBest Picture: “One Battle After Another”
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, “Weapons”
Original Screenplay: “Sinners”
Adapted Screenplay: “One Battle After Another”
Casting: “One Battle After Another”
Animated Feature: “KPop Demon Hunters”
Production Design: “Frankenstein”
Costume Design: “Frankenstein”
Cinematography: “Sinners”
Editing: “One Battle After Another”
Makeup and Hairstyling: “Frankenstein”
Sound: “F1”
Visual Effects: “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Original Score: “Sinners”
Original Song: “Golden” (“KPop Demon Hunters”)
Documentary Feature: “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
International Feature: “Sentimental Value,” Norway
Animated Short: “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
Documentary Short: “All the Empty Rooms”
Live-Action Short: “The Singers” & “Two People Exchanging Saliva”
