Hollywood actor and director Sean Penn loaned his Oscar statuette to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a visit to Kyiv.
“It’s just a symbolic, silly thing,” he said, seated beside the Ukrainian leader at a ceremonial table and pressing his hand on his arm to emphasize his words as aides smiled and laughed. “When you win, bring it back to Malibu.”
Zelenskiy presented Penn, who is making a documentary in Ukraine and marking his third wartime visit, with the Order of Merit honor for strengthening relations, backing Ukraine’s territorial integrity and helping to popularize the country, the president’s office said.
Sean Penn has given his Oscar to Ukraine – @ZelenskyyUa
Thank you, sir!
It is an honor for us. pic.twitter.com/vx2UfEVTds— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 8, 2022
A video showed the two men on their way to view a plaque bearing Penn’s signature, dated Feb. 24, the date of the Russian invasion, and set in the paving stones of an “Alley of Courage” Zelenskiy inaugurated in August to honor friends of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy, a former comedian and actor, said later in his nightly video address that Penn had been “doing everything to help us gather international support” ever since he visited the Ukrainian capital on the day of the invasion.
