Sean Penn has described any potential lack of support by the Academy Awards for the Ukrainian people as "the most obscene moment in Hollywood history".
Speaking on CNN, Penn, who is making a documentary about the plight of refugees in Ukraine and Poland, has vowed to publicly melt down his Oscar statues if the awards body accepts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday night. The program declined to be offered a stage. ,
"The Academy can't do much more than give the award [Zelensky] a chance to talk to all of us," Penn said. “It is my understanding that it has been decided not to do so. I am not commenting on whether President Zelensky wanted it or not."
Penn suggested that if the Academy "had chosen not to pursue the leadership in Ukraine, who are carrying bullets and bombs for us, as well as trying to protect Ukrainian children, I think that those Every single and every bit of that decision of the people will be the most obscene moment in Hollywood history."
Earlier this week, Amy Schumer, one of three hosts for this year's ceremony, said she had put in place "a way to hold a Zelensky satellite or make a tape," but that meant her input was unsolicited.
"I'm not afraid to go there," she said. "But it's not me producing the Oscars." Other sources reported that Zelensky declined an invitation to contribute via Zoom.
Penn urged a widespread boycott of the incident should it be confirmed that no approach had been made for Zelensky.
"If it comes back, I will strangle myself in public," Penn said. “I pray that this does not happen. I pray that there have not been arrogant people who consider themselves representatives of the greater good in my industry, who, along with the leadership in Ukraine, [decided against the investigation] So I'm just going to hope that doesn't happen. I hope [every attendee] walks out if that's the case."
Shortly after the Russian military invaded Ukraine last month, Penn was seen making a documentary for Vice about the war in the country. The actor then traveled to Poland, where most of those fleeing the war initially come.
Penn, who has twice won Best Actor Oscars for Mystic River in 2003 and Milk in 2008 - is not personally nominated this year, but appears in Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, which won a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. seen as the leading contender.
Amid the return of the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, there has been uncertainty about the attendance of nominees who have recently been diagnosed with Kovid. Saturday Night Lin-Miranda Manuel, who has two films in competition – Encanto and Tick, Tick... BOOM! - Said that he would no longer be able to attend after the wife tested positive.
On Friday the academy further tightened its rules on entry requirements, announcing that anyone within the five-day window of testing positive would be barred, even if they were now testing negative. The health status of Belfast nominees Kenneth Branagh and Ciaran Hinds, who tested positive shortly after the BAFTAs a fortnight ago, is not known.
The Best Picture race is seen as an increasingly tight competition between Jane Campion's acclaimed western, The Power of the Dog, and Koda, a film about a hearing-impaired family in a small fishing town. There is a small domestic drama.