“I will encourage everyone involved to learn, although it may be their time, and I understand that, in order to celebrate their films, it is much more time for them to shine and protest and boycott the Oscars,” he said. actor. in a show on CNN on Saturday afternoon.
Penn, 61, has won two Oscars and vowed to “smell my public” if Zelensky snubs from the Academy.
The Ukrainian leader is in talks with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to make a video appearance during Sunday’s broadcast of the Oscars. Penn met with Zelensky while he was in Ukraine in February, when he was shooting a documentary on the nation’s tensions and now the war with Russia.
Oscar ceremony co-host Amy Sumer came up with the idea for Zelensky to speak at the event last week, People reported.
“I understand that a decision has been made not to do so,” Penn said when asked to speak by Zelensky.
“If the Academy has chosen not to do so, if the presenters have chosen not to pursue the leadership in Ukraine, who are taking bullets and bombs from us, along with the children of Ukraine who are trying to protect us, then I think each of these people and every part of that decision would be the most obscene moment in all of Hollywood history. “
