Oscars 2026: Sean Penn Wins Best Supporting Actor for ‘One Battle After Another,’ Joins Elite Three-Win Club Despite Skipping Ceremony
Sean Penn made history at the 98th Academy Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for ‘One Battle After Another.’ Joining the ranks of triple Oscar winners like Daniel Day-Lewis, Penn skipped the ceremony to reportedly visit Ukraine. Presenter Kieran Culkin accepted the award, quipping that Penn “didn’t want to be here” during the live broadcast.
Actor Sean Penn has added one more Oscar to his kitty, courtesy of his performance in One Battle After Another. On Sunday, he was announced as the winner of Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Sean Penn did not attend the ceremony to accept his award. It was accepted for him by presenter Kieran Culkin. Oscars 2026: Hollywood to Hand out One Award After Another.
Kieran Culkin Jokes About Sean Penn at Oscars 2026
"Sean Penn couldn't be here tonight--or didn't want to," quipped Kieran Culkin, last year's best supporting actor winner, after he announced the category onstage. Sean Penn, now a three-time Oscar winner, was nominated alongside Benicio del Toro (also for One Battle After Another), Delroy Lindo for Sinners and Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value. Oscars 2026: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Wins Visual Effects; Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson Triumph With ‘Sinners’.
Sean Penn Returns As Villain
One Battle After Another follows Bob, played by DiCaprio, a former revolutionary living off the grid with his daughter, Willa. Their lives take a dark turn when Bob's old enemy, Steven J Lockjaw, played by Sean Penn, returns after 16 years. When Willa goes missing, Bob must confront both his past and his nemesis in a gripping tale of survival and redemption. Penn has two previous Oscars, both for best actor, in 2009's Milk and 2004's Mystic River, and three previous Oscar nominations.