This past Saturday, famous director and actor Sean Penn stated that if the Academy Awards planning staff stood firm on their choice to say not to a virtual appearance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, then people should start boycotting the awards show altogether.
As seen during an appearance with CNN’s Jim Acosta, Penn, who is in Warsaw, Poland currently, stated that if the producers of the awards show turned down the opportunity to let Zelensky appear, it would be “the most obscene moment in all of Hollywood history,” and he issued the promise to “smelt” down his own Oscar awards in public protest if that was what it took to bring his point to light and drive it home.
ICYMI: Actor Sean Penn says the Oscars should be boycotted if the ceremony’s planners have decided against having Zelensky on the program. pic.twitter.com/4LI2YIiKcD
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 26, 2022
Penn started off by stating that he was not going to speak as to whether or not Zelensky desired to make any such appearance, Only that he had overheard talk from the event planners and producers that the decision to deny him had already been made.
“Now, it is my understanding that a decision has been made not to do it,” stated Penn to Acosta. “That is not me commenting on whether or not President Zelensky had wanted to.”
“If the Academy has elected not to do it, if presenters have elected not to pursue the leadership in Ukraine, who are taking bullets and bombs for us, along with the Ukrainian children that they’re trying to protect, then I think every single one of those people and every bit of that decision will have been the most obscene moment in all of Hollywood history, and I hope that’s not what’s happening,” Penn went on to state.
It was then that Penn suggested that the various nominees take action to boycott the entire ceremony, making the argument that what was taking place in Ukraine superseded their “moment to shine” on any stage.
“If it turns out to be what’s happening, I would encourage everyone involved to know that though it may be their moment, and I understand that, to celebrate their films, it is so much more importantly their moment to shine and to protest and to boycott that Academy Awards,” stated Penn.
“And I myself, if it comes back to it, I — when I return, I will smelt mine in public,” stated Penn. “I pray that’s not what’s happened. I pray that there have not been arrogant people who consider themselves representatives of the greater good in my industry that have not decided to check in with leadership in Ukraine.”
“So I’m just going to hope that’s not what’s happened,” stated Penn in conclusion. “And I hope that everybody walks out if it is.”