Overview
- While promoting his new film, Penn announced he will not attend award shows or any event that groups more than eight people because such settings produce “profound anxiety and social discomfort.”
- His statement offers a public explanation for his absence from the recent Academy Awards, where he won the Best Actor Oscar for Una batalla tras otra — reported as his third Academy Award.
- Penn told interviewers that short, repeated social interactions at parties and ceremonies make him feel overwhelmed and that the Golden Globes earlier this year helped him decide to stop attending similar events.
- He also criticized the culture of selfies and constant photo requests at public events, saying those interactions deepen his discomfort and reinforce his choice to withdraw.
- The decision highlights a growing trend of public figures setting firm mental-health boundaries and could change how studios and awards bodies handle promotion and red-carpet expectations.