Oscars reject Zelensky’s request to appear on the award show's telecast

A Variety exclusive just reported that, for the second year in a row, the Academy Awards have rejected Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky's bid to appear on the show.

According to the publication, WME power agent Mike Simpson made a request to the famed award-show on the politician's behalf, hoping to follow up last month's Berlin Film Festival appearance. Zelensky has appeared in a number of film festivals and award-shows this year, including the Grammy Awards and Cannes and Venice film festivals.

Representation for the 95th Oscars have not yet explained why they rejected Zelensky, but a representative for the 2022 Toronto Festival–which also rejected the leader–commented that the festival "does not comment on discussions with dignitaries, government officials or international embassies.”

Last year, Oscars producer Will Packer rejected Zelensky's appearance, with sources, according to Variety saying that "Packer expressed concerns that Hollywood was only showering Ukraine with attention because those affected by the conflict are white."

Zilensky's rejection comes as polls show that American desire to support Ukraine is weakening.

"The share of adults who say the U.S. is providing too much aid to Ukraine has increased 6 percentage points since last September and 19 points since shortly after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year," wrote the Pew Research Center, adjacent to a survey conducted Jan. 18-24 among 5,152 U.S. adults.

This news comes after an open letter was published earlier this week by the The Ukrainian World Congress requesting that the award show review the eligibility of Top Gun: Maverick for its ties with Russian oligarch, Dmitry Rybolovlev.