Sean Penn’s name was called Sunday night at the 98th Academy Awards, but the Hollywood veteran wasn’t there to collect his trophy.
Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Steven J. Lockjaw in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
Instead of taking the stage at the Dolby Theater, the actor appeared only on the giant Oscar screen while last year’s winner, Kieran Culkin, accepted the award in his absence.
“Sean Penn couldn’t be here tonight, or didn’t want to, so I’ll accept the award on his behalf,” Culkin joked to the audience.
Penn’s absence from the Oscars capped a string of missed appearances.
He was also absent from the BAFTAs in London and the Actor Awards in Los Angeles earlier this season, although he won both of those awards in the Supporting Actor category.
According to the New York Times, Penn had flown to Europe in the days leading up to the ceremony, with media sources saying his intention was to travel to Ukraine.
Insiders did not elaborate on the details of his itinerary, leaving questions about where exactly he intended to go or what he planned to do there.
Career milestone
The win marks Penn’s third Oscar, placing him among cinema legends Daniel Day Lewis, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Ingrid Bergman.
He previously won Best Actor for Mystic River (2004) and Milk (2009), with additional nominations for Dead Man Walking, Sweet and Lowdown and I Am Sam.
