Sean Penn reveals why he refuses to ever take a selfie with anyone no matter what
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: Robin L Marshall/WireImage
In the modern day, it seems like its part of celebrities’ daily routine to take selfies. However, Sean Penn refuses to add it into his.
Penn rose to fame in 1982, 25 years before the release of the first iPhone, following his role as Jeff Spicoli in the hit comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Skip to the present day, and the 65-year-olds career is still going as strong as ever, recently starring in One Battle After Another alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. However, those wanting a selfie with the Hollywood star may be disappointed as he referred to them as ‘soul suckers’.
It’s not only selfies he hates, however, as he also hates large gatherings - which are pretty difficult to avoid as an actor. Although he attended the Golden Globes (which he won't be doing again), Penn decided to skip the Academy Awards this year as he said ‘it wasn’t just an awards show’.
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“People should not do selfies ever with anyone. It’s bad for you; it’s bad for everyone. It’s a soul-sucker,” he told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during the the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.
“It’s the Holocaust grandmother and her 6-year-old paraplegic wheeling over? It’s a hard no,” he continued.
Penn then expressed his dislike for award shows, including the Oscars. Famously Penn watched this year’s awards from Ukraine, stating he ‘enjoyed the awards for the first time’.
“It would be the same if this group was going to an afterparty and one stepped into that. That always represented social discomfort for me; too many people. I’m now down, committed for life, that I won’t go anywhere to be in a designated group beyond eight people,” he said before calling the event ‘dread-provoking’.
The actor did in fact pick up a gong this year for best supporting actor for One Battle After Another, at the 98th Academy Awards.
In 2022, the actor gifted his Academy Award to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as he said it was a 'symbolic, silly thing'.
Penn then told Zelenskyy to bring the award back 'when he wins the war'.
The Mystic River star was then surprised with a plaque on the floor which bears the actor's name and signature to show him their appreciation for his activism.
This year, he was also gifted an Oscar-shaped award made from war-damaged rail metal by Ukraine after skipping the ceremony while he was in the country.