- Primary Subject: Sean Penn
- Key Update: Sean Penn made history by winning his third Academy Award (Best Supporting Actor) for One Battle After Another, but was absent from the ceremony.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 16, 2026
- Quick Answer: Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 Oscars but skipped the gala to visit Ukraine, marking his third career win.
Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor at the 98th Academy Awards for his performance in One Battle After Another. However, he was not present to pick up the trophy.
The victory marked the veteran actor's third Oscar win in his career, joining the ranks of other legends who have won three acting Oscars, including Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Frances McDormand, Ingrid Bergman, Walter Brennan, and Katharine Hepburn. Despite his major achievement, he failed to show up at the ceremony.
Why Sean Penn Did Not Attend the Oscars Ceremony
According to a report from The New York Times, Sean Penn was absent from the 98th Academy Awards ceremony as he was on his way to visit Ukraine.
For the last several years, he has been actively supporting the country amidst the Russian-Ukrainian war and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on various occasions. It remains unknown what the main agenda/purpose is behind the latest trip.
In the last few weeks, Penn has been considered to be the frontrunner to win Best Supporting Actor, as he also won the same category at the BAFTA and the Actor Awards. He skipped both ceremonies as well.
Throughout the awards campaign, Penn's participation has been limited, as he attended only a few events and conducted selected interviews about his work in One Battle After Another. The only major awards ceremony he attended was the Golden Globes, at which he lost the Best Supporting Actor award.
So far, Penn has not released any statement in response to his Best Supporting Actor victory.
He previously won Best Actor twice for his performances in Mystic River and Milk. This marked his sixth Oscar nomination in his career, and the first time that he was nominated in the supporting category.
Which Films Won at the 98th Academy Awards
One Battle After Another ended up taking home the most trophies at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony with six, including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and the inaugural Best Casting award.
Sinners managed to take home four awards out of its historic 16 nominations, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler.
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein took home three trophies (Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling), while the global sensation KPop Demon Hunters managed to win all of their nominations: Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song for "Golden."
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