In autumn 2021, Oscar winner Sean Penn was in the eastern Ukrainian crisis region of Donbass to shoot a documentary about the clashes with the separatists supported by Russia.
Then, in February 2022, open war broke out – and Penn flew back to Ukraine to also capture the escalating events. And finally had to flee from the advancing Kremlin army on a spectacular – and accordingly hyped in the media – walk.
After his clear positioning against the attackers, the actor and director was sanctioned by Russia and banned from entering the country.
Now Penn has returned to Ukraine. As reported by several news agencies, including Reuters, the 62-year-old met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at an official appointment. He had a golden trophy with him: one of his two Oscar characters (“Milk”, “Mystic River”), which he loaned to his former (acting) colleague.
“It’s just a symbolic, silly thing,” Penn said, as he sat next to the head of state at a celebratory table and pressed his hand on his arm to punctuate his words while his staff grinned:
Penn is quoted as saying, “If you win, take him to Malibu.” Zelenskyy presented Penn, who is now on his third wartime visit, with the “Order of Merit for strengthening ties, supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine and contributing to the popularization of the country,” according to the President’s PR Office.
Complementary video shows the two men walking towards a plaque with Penn’s signature, dated February 24, the date of the Russian invasion. This is embedded in the paving stones of the “Allee des Mutes”. In a mini-ceremony in August 2022, Selenskyj inaugurated it as a meeting place for “Friends of Ukraine”.
Zelenskyy, a former comedian and actor, later said in his late-night video address that since his visit to the Ukrainian capital on the day of the invasion, Penn “has done everything to help us rally international support.”
The street monument is a sign of gratitude to prominent personalities who are defending freedom together with Ukrainians, but also “a reminder to all future generations of our people that different people, forces and industries have joined together for our victory”.
<!–
–>
<!–
–>