Sean Penn Slams the Oscars: ‘The Academy Has Exercised Extraordinary Cowardice’ When It Comes to ‘Expression’ and ‘Imagination’

variety.com:

Ben Croll Sean Penn blamed the Oscars for “limiting different cultural expressions” and voiced his support for Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump movie “The Apprentice” while at Marrakech Film Festival, where he received a career tribute. “The Academy have exercised really extraordinary cowardice when it comes to being part of the bigger world of expression, and in fact, have largely been part of limiting the imagination and very limiting of different cultural expressions,” Penn said at a press conference during which he was casually smoking. “So I don’t I get very excited about what we’ll call the Academy Awards [except for] when a film like ‘The Florida Project,’ or ‘I’m Still Here,’ or, you know, ‘Emilia Perez,’ of the things that are likely to happen this year,” he said.

He also weighed in on the controversy over Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice,” saying “when something sneaks through, it’s to be celebrated.” “It’s jaw-dropping how afraid this business of mavericks is of a great film like that.

One with great, great acting. [It’s amazing] that they too can be as afraid as a piddly little Republican congressman,” he said.

At a Sunday evening gala, Penn collected a lifetime achievement award from Italian actor Valeria Golino — with whom Penn has been close friends ever since she appeared in his 1991 directorial debut “The Indian Runner” — before speaking with equal passion about his views on free expression and political correctness. “Around the world [there is] this demand for diversity — but not diversity of behavior and not diversity of opinion or language,” said Penn.