Sean Penn calls taking selfies a ‘soul-sucker’ — and he wouldn’t even do one with a ‘Holocaust grandmother’

Sean Penn has stunned his fans pinch a chaotic declare astir Holocaust survivors and nan disabled.

The Hollywood character said he decided to stop attending grant shows, including this year’s Oscars, wherever he won Best Supporting Actor, aft being bombarded by group asking for selfies astatine nan Golden Globes conscionable a fewer weeks prior.

“People should not do selfies ever pinch anyone. It’s bad for you; it’s bad for everyone. It’s a soul-sucker,” Penn told The Guardian. “It’s nan Holocaust grandma and her six-year-old paraplegic wheeling over? It’s a difficult no.”

Sean Penn attends nan Opening Ceremony during nan 17th Film Festival Lumiere connected Oct. 11, 2025, successful Lyon, France.  Getty Images

Fans rushed to societal media to stock their thoughts connected Penn’s peculiarly beardown wording, pinch galore hitting retired astatine nan outspoken actor.

“I work together connected nan selfie point though not to nan grade Penn put connected it. Holocaust grandma seems a spot overmuch but it does look for illustration a degrading workout for nan seeker,” remarked one.

A 2nd commented, “Or, conscionable beryllium thankful you’ve sewage 1 of nan astir privileged jobs connected nan satellite and walk 2 seconds being bully to nan group that put you location … remember? The fans?”

Another insisted, “At first I thought it was ridiculous to put nan Holocaust subsister point successful nan header until I saw that he brought it up unprompted!”

“I was kinda pinch him until that U-turn astatine nan extremity there. I’m not moreover judge what that moreover means,” added a fourth. “Could you ideate if a blimpish character said that there’s nary measurement he’s taking a selfie pinch a Holocaust grandmother?”

However, not everyone disagreed pinch nan arguable star.

“Penn is simply a ambitious c**t for a twelve aliases much reasons, but I can’t opportunity I disagree pinch his return connected selfies,” shared 1 instrumentality successful agreement.

“Just because you are a Holocaust survivor, that doesn’t springiness you correct to fuss others,” tweeted another.

Sean Penn is pictured astatine nan 83rd Annual Golden Globes held astatine The Beverly Hilton connected Jan. 11, 2026, successful Beverly Hills, California. Penske Media via Getty Images

Penn won his 3rd Oscar earlier this twelvemonth for his domiciled in One Battle After Another; however, he grounded to show up to nan ceremony.

The enigma surrounding his absence intensified erstwhile Kieran Culkin told nan auditorium while accepting nan grant connected Penn’s behalf: “Sean Penn couldn’t beryllium present this evening — aliases didn’t want to — truthful I’ll beryllium accepting nan grant connected his behalf.”

Instead of schmoozing pinch Hollywood royalty, he was alternatively engaged successful Ukraine, spending clip pinch bully friend President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Sean, acknowledgment to you, we cognize what a existent friend of Ukraine is. You person stood pinch Ukraine since nan first time of nan full-scale war,” Zelenskyy wrote connected X, on pinch a photograph of himself and Sean sitting successful his office.

“This is still existent today,” Zelenskyy continued. “And we cognize that you will proceed to guidelines pinch our state and our people.