Sean Penn lends Oscar statuette to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

American actor Sean Penn presented an Oscar statuette to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent meeting in Kyiv.

In a video of the meeting posted on Zelensky’s Instagram account on Tuesday, Penn revealed the statuette to the president and claimed to receive the coveted award.

“I feel terrible,” said Penn, 62.

“If you win, bring it back to Malibu because it makes me feel good to know there’s a piece of me here,” he added.

This was Penn’s third visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. He has been a vocal defender of Ukraine and a staunch supporter of Zelensky since the beginning of the war.

In an Instagram caption, Zelensky called the Oscar statue “a symbol of faith in our nation’s victory.”

Penn has won two Academy Awards for Best Actor. mysterious river 2003 and milk in 2008.

Zelensky also presented the Penn Ukraine Order of Merit. The president made it clear that the award was not from him, but “from Ukraine.”

trendy now

• Fierce competition in U.S. midterm elections is eroding control of Congress as Republicans chase their gains

• Justin Trudeau becomes first global leader to appear in ‘Drag Race’ franchise

The two then walked through the streets of Kyiv, where Zelensky revealed a plaque on the ground bearing Pen’s name, signature, and the date of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

The plaque is part of the Walk of the Brave, which Zelensky described as a place where “current and future generations of Ukrainians will remember the brave people who have stood with Ukraine from the beginning.”

“There are three places in the world that I’ve been proud of all my life,” Penn said, standing over the plaque. “Where my daughter was born, where my son was born, and this.”

In March, Penn threatened to publicly “sniff” the Oscars if former actor Zelenskiy was not allowed to speak at the 2022 Academy Awards. Penn didn’t destroy his statuette), the Ukrainian president gave a speech at this year’s Grammy Awards.

In a pre-recorded speech, Zelensky spoke to entertainers and viewers at home about the aggression of Russia and Ukraine, urging them to fill the silence of the war with music.

© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.