The 2026 Academy Awards concluded awards season with a flurry of victories, unexpected moments, and some high-profile absences that left fans and insiders buzzing.
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another swept the ceremony, securing six Oscars, including Best Picture and the debut Best Casting award. However, one winner was conspicuously absent: Sean Penn, who clinched Best Supporting Actor for his role as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw.
During the presentation, last year's Best Supporting Actor winner Kieran Culkin quipped, "Sean couldn't make it tonight—or perhaps chose not to—so I'll accept this on his behalf."
Here's the inside scoop on why Penn and other celebrities skipped the 2026 Oscars.
Sean Penn at the 'September 5' premiere on Nov. 14, 2024 in Los Angeles. Araya Doheny/TheEntBase via Getty
Sean Penn was absent from the Oscars to collect his Best Supporting Actor award. A New York Times report reveals the 65-year-old actor prioritized a humanitarian trip to Ukraine over attending the ceremony, with his representative declining to comment to TheEntBase.
Penn also missed other major awards shows like the SAG Actor Awards and BAFTAs, where he won Best Supporting Actor, cementing his frontrunner status. He did appear at the Golden Globes, where footage captured him smoking indoors.
Brad Pitt during a photocall for 'F1' on June 09, 2025 in Mexico City. Manuel Velasquez/Getty
F1 star Brad Pitt was notably absent from the 2026 Oscars, despite being nominated as a producer for the Best Picture contender. The reason for his no-show remains unclear, but F1 still won Best Sound out of its four nominations.
Lewis Hamilton at the United States Grand Prix on Oct. 22, 2023 in Austin. Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty
Seven-time F1 world champion and F1 producer Lewis Hamilton also skipped the 2026 Oscars. He was competing in the Chinese Grand Prix, where he finished third—marking his first podium with Ferrari and his first since the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2024.
Hailee Steinfeld at 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen' in November 2019. Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
