It sounds like Sean Penn is willing to say goodbye to his Oscar awards if Ukraine’s president did not receive an invite to this year’s ceremony.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s possible involvement in the 2022 Academy Awards has floated around ever since host Amy Schumer revealed on The Drew Barrymore Show that she pitched to include him somehow. However, her request ended up being denied:
“There are so many awful things happening that it seems hard to focus on which one. I actually pitched – I wanted to find a way to have Zelenskyy satellite in or make a tape or something, just because there are so many eyes on the Oscars. I am not afraid to go there, but it’s not me producing the Oscars. I think there’s definitely pressure in one way to be like, ‘This is a vacation, let people forget, we just want to have this night.’ But it’s like, well, we have so many eyes and ears on this show — I think it’s a great opportunity to at least comment on a couple things.’”
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Well, it turns out Sean thought it was a pretty good idea and plans on taking a stance in an inneresting way if they don’t go through with it.
In an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta on Saturday, the 61-year-old actor, who is currently in Poland with his non-profit organization CORE aiding humanitarian efforts amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, promised to “smelt” his Oscar statues in public if it turns out that the Zelenskyy was not given the chance to participate in the award show on Sunday.
He declared:
“There is nothing greater that the Academy Awards could do than to give him that opportunity to talk to all of us. This is a man who understands movies and had his own very long and successful career in that. It is my understanding that a decision has been made not to do it. That is not me commenting on whether or not President Zelensky had wanted to.”
If the Academy opted to not include the leader, Sean said “that decision will have been the most obscene moment in all of Hollywood history.” Damn! The Milk star continued:
“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. I myself, if it comes back to it, when I return, I will smelt mine in public.”
Wow. Sean took home awards in 2004 and 2009 for Best Actor in a Leading Role – and he is apparently prepared to let it go. In fact, he has called for his colleagues to show their if Zelenskyy doesn’t appear on Sunday night by walking out:
“I pray that’s not what’s happened. I pray 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 gonna hope that that’s not what’s happened and I hope that everybody walks out if it is.”
Hmmm…
We will have to wait and see if Sean will need to “smelt” his awards. What do YOU think about his declaration, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below)!
[Image via The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube, Oscars/YouTube]
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