Sean Penn receives special "Oscar" in Ukraine, after missing ceremony

Sean Penn has received a special "Oscar" in Ukraine, after not attending the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15, where he won Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in One Battle After Another. He was unable to attend the ceremony as he was visiting Ukraine.

According to the Agence France-Presse, Ukraine's state rail group, Ukrzaliznytsia, knowing that the actor was going to miss the event, gave him its own version of an Oscar, made of metal taken from a railcar damaged during a Russian attack.

Since the start of the Russian invasion, Penn has been a vocal and active advocate for Ukraine.

In 2022, he visited the country to film the documentary Superpower, fleeing Ukraine by walking to Poland once fighting broke out. The actor shared that at one point, he even considered joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Penn has also become close friends with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, giving him one of his two previous Oscars during a visit four years ago.

"When you win [the war], bring it back to Malibu, because I'll feel much better knowing there's a piece of me here," said Penn as he gave the award.

The award-winning actor beat his One Battle After Another co-star Benicio del Toro, Frankenstein's Jacob Elordi, Sinners' Delroy Lindo, and Sentimental Value's Stellan Skarsgård in winning the award.

Sean Penn came to Ukraine and missed the Academy Awards — so Ukrainian railway gave him one of his own.

This Oscar was made of the metal of a railway car damaged by russian shelling. A symbol of resilience. 🇺🇦🎬 pic.twitter.com/7h7TdA5MbS

— Ukrainian railways || Укрзалізниця (@Ukrzaliznytsia) March 17, 2026