Sean Penn Honored with Unique “Iron Oscar” During Visit to Ukraine

Sean Penn Receives Unique Award from Ukraine Amid Oscar Win

This week, actor Sean Penn was honored with a distinctive award made from the metal of a war-damaged Ukrainian railcar, following his third Academy Award win for his performance in One Battle After Another. While not the traditional Oscar statuette, the gesture reflects Penn’s strong support for Ukraine during its ongoing conflict.

Penn, who was absent from the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, chose to spend time in Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His name was announced as the winner in the Best Supporting Actor category, marking his third Oscar victory after previous wins for Mystic River and Milk. In his place, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the CEO of Ukrainian Railways, presented him with the award.

In a video shared by Pertsovskyi, he explained to Penn, “You’re missing Oscars… So we made this one. This is from the railcar that was damaged by the Russians.”

The video was accompanied by a caption stating, “Sean Penn opted for the trip to Ukraine vs. Oscar ceremony at Dolby Theater where he was awarded his 3rd. We couldn’t leave our great friend and loyal Ukrainian Railways passenger without an award. So, I have presented Sean with our IronOscar on behalf of all of us!”

As Pertsovskyi handed over the “IronOscar,” he added, “It’s not golden, but it’s very real and from the bottom of our hearts.” The award bears an inscription that reads, “This steel once carried millions of people away from war. Then a Russian missile came. We did not melt it into a weapon. We forged it into gratitude — for you. For your talent. For your courage to stand with Ukraine.”

After receiving the IronOscar, Penn expressed his gratitude, saying, “These are all treasures. Thank you.”