Why Sean Penn Wasn't At The 2026 Oscars

Many of the categories at the 98th Academy Awards were absolutely stacked, but "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another" led the winners' list during last night's ceremony. Those wins are well-deserved, along with some pleasantly surprising ones like Amy Madigan being awarded for her unforgettable supporting role in "Weapons" and "KPop Demon Hunters" winning Best Animated Feature Film.

Among the major awards that Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" won last night (including Best Picture) was the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, which went to Sean Penn, who plays Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in the film. This was the actor's third Oscar win, with his previous awards for Best Actor being for "Mystic River" and "Milk" in 2004 and 2009, respectively. Although Penn's performance in PTA's action-thriller has been prominently featured in 2026's awards discourse, the actor did not turn up for the Oscars ceremony. "Sean Penn couldn't be here this evening, or didn't want to, so I'll be accepting the award on his behalf," said presenter Kieran Culkin, who won last year's Best Supporting Actor award for his work in "A Real Pain."

Per a recent report by The New York Times, Penn skipped the ceremony and headed to Europe instead, with the intention of visiting Ukraine. The actor's representative declined to comment on the matter.

It's worth noting that this year's Actor in a Supporting Role category was chock-full of impressive performances. Penn's "One Battle After Another" co-star Benicio del Toro was also nominated, along with three other worthwhile contenders: Delroy Lindo for "Sinners," Stellan Skarsgård for "Sentimental Value," and Jacob Elordi for "Frankenstein." The flavors of these individual performances run the gamut, as some indulge in quiet subtlety, while others ham it up for a likably eccentric effect.

Penn won a BAFTA and an Actor's Award from the Screen Actors Guild this year for his work in "One Battle After Another," but he also skipped those ceremonies. That said, the actor attended this year's Golden Globes, where he was spotted smoking inside the building, even though indoor smoking in hotels is illegal according to the Clean Indoor Air initiative in California. The reason behind Penn's attendance at this particular event (as opposed to his absence from other major awards ceremonies) remains unclear. The New York Times' report doesn't include any specifics regarding Penn's Europe trip during the Oscars, as the anonymous sources who came forward with the information "were not authorized to discuss the matter."

Penn's third Oscar win puts him in the same category of esteemed actors as Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Ingrid Bergman. Apart from the three films for which he has won Academy Awards, Penn also scored nominations for his work in "Dead Man Walking," "I Am Sam," and "Sweet and Lowdown."