‘Bring it back to Malibu:’ Sean Penn gifts Zelensky his Oscar award
'If I know this is here with you, then I will feel better and stronger for the fights'
American actor Sean Penn loaned one of his two Oscar awards to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, telling him: “When you win, bring it back to Malibu.”
Zelensky’s office on Wednesday shared a video of the encounter during Penn’s most recent trip to the war-torn country, his third since Russia began its assault on February 24. The president tweeted that the Oscar – the international film industry’s most touted award – was “a symbol of faith in the victory of our country.”
Penn – who is making a documentary about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has been involved in numerous international humanitarian and anti-war efforts over the years – told Zelensky that every time he leaves Ukraine, “I feel like a traitor.”
“But if I know this is here with you, then I will feel better and stronger for the fights,” Penn told Zelensky as he pulled the statuette from a bag and placed it on a table in front of the Ukrainian premier.
“When you win, bring it back to Malibu, I feel much better knowing there is a piece of me here.”
Zelensky accepted the gesture, responding: “We have to win, quick.”
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It wasn’t clear when the encounter occurred or which Oscar Penn loaned him – the actor has won two Best Actor Academy Awards, one in 2003 for “Mystic River” and the other in 2008 for “Milk.”
During their meeting, Zelensky presented Penn with the Ukrainian Order of Merit, which is usually only given to citizens for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, or military or political activity.