Sean Penn Vows to Never Attend Awards Show Again Because of Anxiety

Sean Penn has made a definitive statement regarding his attendance at awards shows.

The 65-year-old actor announced he will never attend another ceremony during an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins at the Tribeca Film Festival.

“It’s not just [that it’s] an awards show,” Penn said, explaining his choice to skip the 2026 Oscars. He described these ceremonies as causing him “social discomfort.”

The star, known for his role in 21 Grams, expressed that these events create anxiety for him. He emphasized that he feels pressured to engage with many people in a limited amount of time. “I’m now down, committed for life, that I won’t go anywhere to be in a designated group beyond eight people,” he stated.

Penn elaborated on his past experiences at the Oscars, explaining that he felt relief upon winning. “The two times I had gone, I felt relief that I’d won because so many people out there had worked really hard for that,” he expressed.

Despite his accolades, including Best Actor Oscars for Mystic River and Milk, Penn decided that it's better for his mental health to avoid these ceremonies. He previously informed his co-stars that missing the event would be beneficial for him.

Instead of attending the Oscars, Penn traveled to Ukraine to show his support amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. There, he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and received an “IronOscar” from Ukrainian Railways CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi.

“You’re missing the Oscars,” Pertsovskyi began, presenting the handmade statuette created from war-related materials. Penn, visibly emotional, thanked Pertsovskyi for the meaningful gift.

Reflecting on his choice, Penn stated, “I really got to enjoy the Academy Awards for the first time,” showing that he found a new perspective on the ceremony outside the industry’s pressures.

With Penn’s decision to step back from awards shows, the question remains: will other stars take a similar stance?