Sean Penn speaks onstage during AARP’s Annual Movies For Grownups Awards (Image: Getty Images North America)
Actor Sean Penn was not impressed by US President Donald Trump appointing Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voight and Mel Gibson as ambassadors. The double Oscar-winning star of Mystic River and Milk has branded the move a “clown show”.
The 64-year-old also criticised Oscars bosses for lacking “backbone” in turning down the chance to host Ukrainian President at the 2022 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
When asked about Mr Trump’s three high-profile Tinseltown ambassadors, he told the Oxford Union last week: “Look, clown shows can do great damage but I’m not very interested in them.”
The former husband of singer Madonna, and actresses Robin Wright and Leila George, also rounded on the Academy, which stages this year’s Oscars ceremony next Sunday.
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US President Donald Trump jokes with actor Sylvester Stallone(R) (Image: AFP)
He hit out at its refusal to allow the leader of – a former comedian and film star – to speak at the awards which were held just five weeks after invaded his country.
“What they don’t do is have any backbone at all,” he said. “When I contacted them with an offer from President Zelensky to speak to the Academy, I made it clear he wasn’t going to be talking about President Biden.
“I made it clear he wasn’t going to be talking about (then former) President Trump. He represented this incredibly courageous country at large. He’s a filmmaker and he wanted to thank everyone for their support at that time and talk about the big medicine that film can be and the value of film.
“And the idea they traded that for a “bitch slap” from Will Smith to Chris Rock, serves them right.”
Smith, 56, slapped Rock, 60, after the comic made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 53.