LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean Penn has built one of the most decorated careers in contemporary acting, and he has added another Oscar to the list.
On Sunday, Penn won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s political drama “One Battle After Another.” He delivered a commanding portrayal of a seasoned power broker navigating the shifting loyalties and ideological battles at the center of the film.
Penn, 65, did not attend the Oscars.
“He couldn’t be here tonight, or he didn’t want to,” Kieran Culkin said after announcing Penn as the winner.
It’s not the first time Penn has been an Oscars no-show. He’s previously skipped the show three times when he was nominated for “Dead Man Walking” in 1996, “Sweet and Lowdown” in 2000 and “I Am Sam” in 2002.
In 2022, Penn gave one of the Oscar statuettes to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mykola Serha, founder and leader of the Cultural Forces told AP Monday that Penn is in Ukraine. He did not elaborate on the actor’s plans during his visit.
Cultural Forces is an informal association of Ukrainian servicemen from creative professions formed to support morale and the motivation of military personnel through culture and the arts.
Penn also bowed out from attending the BAFTAs and Actor Awards this year.
In the movie, Penn plays a calculating strategist named Col. Steven J. Lockjaw whose decades of experience in political movements give him both influence and scars. His character carries the weight of past victories and failures, offering sharp insights while quietly pulling strings behind the scenes. The performance blends Penn’s trademark intensity with moments of restraint, delivering a standout performance among the film’s talented ensemble.
The win is Penn’s third Academy Award.
The actor did attend when he previously won two Academy Awards for best actor for Clint Eastwood’s 2003 crime drama “Mystic River” and for portraying San Francisco politician and LGBTQ rights pioneer Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic “Milk.”
Penn first gained attention in the 1980s, with films including “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” but quickly established himself as one of Hollywood’s most fearless dramatic actors. Over the decades he has delivered acclaimed performances in films such as “Dead Man Walking,” “Carlito’s Way,” “The Thin Red Line,” and “I Am Sam.”
His performance in “One Battle After Another” adds another acclaimed role to a career defined by intense and transformative performances.
Other nominees included cast member Delroy Lindo, Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Elordi and Stellan Skarsgård.
AP journalist Vasilisa Stepanenko in Kharkiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
For more coverage of the 2026 Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards
