During an interview, Actor and Academy Award winner Sean Penn said he would destroy his own Oscar if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy isn't allowed time to speak during the broadcast.
"There is nothing greater that the Academy Awards could do than to give him that opportunity to talk to all of us," Penn said in an interview with CNN.
Penn, 61, then went on to give his ultimatum for what he would do if Zelenskyy weren't given time to speak during the broadcast.
"When I return, I will smelt mine in public," Penn said from Warsaw, Poland. "I pray that's not what happens."
Penn made headlines when the war in Ukraine began as he was on the ground making a documentary about the conflict between Russia and the now war-torn country.
VICE Studios is making the documentary with Penn, in association with VICE World News and Endeavor Content, VICE confirmed in February.
Penn had shared via social media that he escaped the country, fleeing to Poland on foot when the fighting made it unsafe for him to be there.
Not only is Zelenskyy the president of his country, but Penn took time in his interview to point out that he is also a former actor, making the Academy Awards a perfect place for him to speak.
"And, by the way, this is a man who understands movies and had his own very long and successful career in that," Penn said.
Currently, Penn said that he is under the impression Zelenskyy had not been given the green light to speak, but he shared with CNN that he hoped he was wrong.
"Now, it is my understanding that a decision has been made not to do it ... if the Academy has elected not to do it, if the presenters have elected not to pursue the leadership in Ukraine who are taking bullets and bombs for us along with the Ukrainian children, that they are trying to protect, then I think every single one of those people and every bit of that decision will be the most obscene moment in Hollywood history," Penn said.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been contacted for comment by NBC News but has not responded.
As for Penn, he shared from Warsaw that if Zelenskyy is not allowed to speak, it will be remembered as a dark spot in the industry forever.
“I’m just gonna hope that that’s not what’s happened and I hope that everybody walks out if it is,” Penn said.
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