Sean Penn's Oscar Gift to Zelensky, Ukraine Divides Fans: 'It's Cringe'

Sean Penn loaned one of his Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday in a show of solidarity amid the country's conflict with Russia. Many fans have applauded the award-winning actor for the gesture, but others have slammed the move as "performative."

Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the minister of internal affairs of Ukraine, praised Penn in a social media post Tuesday.

"Sean Penn has given his Oscar to Ukraine - @ZelenskyyUa," he wrote in a tweet. "Thank you, sir! It is an honor for us."

Scores of social media users responded favorably to the exchange, with one person calling it a "gift from the heart."

"Albeit symbolic, how many of us would donate something this precious to a noble cause? Good on you, Sean! Good on you!" user @StanleyPrusins1 tweeted.

Twitter user @OvidiuSky also seemed touched, writing: "Absolutely beautiful gesture from Sean Penn...My level of respect has jumped to 1000 for Penn and for the way President Zelenskyy act and received this. In difficult times like this, people surprise you with their tremendous humanity and empathy."

Critics, though, were quick to condemn the move on social media, with one tweeting, in part: "It's cringe." Another person echoed that sentiment in their own tweet that included a GIF of Star Wars droid R2-D2 falling over, along with the words "dies from cringe."

One Twitter user, @monaliza_kc, responded to Gerashchenko's tweet: "Sean Penn seems pretty gross to me and I don't know what his Oscar is going to do to help Ukraine, what are they going to do throw it at the Russians? It seems all very performative."

Penn has earned two Academy Awards for best actor: one for Milk (2008) and another for Mystic River (2003).

Crisis management consultant Holly Baird told Newsweek that while many will love Penn for loaning the statuette, others will hate him. Supporters are saying that the actor is "doing the Lord's work" and using his celebrity for good.

Detractors, though, are tired of celebrities getting involved in international affairs, Baird said, citing former NBA player Dennis Rodman—who's cultivated a friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un—as another example.

"I have no doubt that he...is walking around and seeing the effects of war on a tiny country like Ukraine and what they're having to deal with up against Russia," Baird said. "But actors are always getting bombarded with these kind of comments whenever they try to use their celebrity or align with a cause."

She added: "Actors are real people, too. There's no reason why they can't have some sort of cause that aligns with their heart."

Penn has long shown support for Ukraine as it defends itself against the Russian invasion. The actor-director has sought to cover the conflict in a documentary, traveling to Ukraine in February of this year. He's also called for the United States to join in the fight.

Both Penn and fellow Hollywood celeb Ben Stiller were recently barred from visiting Russia.

Newsweek has reached out to representatives for Penn for comment.