Actor and director Sean Penn just has to be in the mix. In efforts to put himself in the limelight in literally every historical event, Penn has now traveled to Ukraine to film a documentary about the Russian invasion while the invasion is still ongoing.
The nets and other media outlets are swooning over Penn’s bravery. CNN, of course, did a segment praising him. While sites like Variety drooled over his attention-grabbing move:
“Sean Penn is on the ground in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia’s invasion, Vice Studios confirmed. The Oscar-winning actor appeared at a press briefing Thursday in the Ukraine capital of Kyiv listening to government officials speak about the crisis,” The Variety article reads.
“The doc is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content.
Penn last visited Ukraine in November 2021 and started preparing for his documentary by visiting with the country’s military. Photos of Penn’s November trip were released at the time by the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation Press Service.”
Sean Penn is on the ground in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia’s invasion, Vice Studios confirmed. The filmmaker appeared at a press briefing Thursday in Kyiv listening to government officials speak about the crisis. https://t.co/k88WDgbtGw pic.twitter.com/mSJas55W2v
— Variety (@Variety) February 24, 2022
Time also wrote a positive article about Penn’s ‘bravery’:
“Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides in an attack that could rewrite the global post-Cold War security order.
Explosions sounded before dawn in Kyiv as Western leaders scheduled an emergency meeting and Ukraine’s president pleaded for international help. The nature of the explosions was not immediately clear, but the blasts came amid signs that the capital and largest Ukrainian city was increasingly threatened following a day of fighting that left more than 100 Ukrainians dead.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the government had information that “subversive groups” were encroaching on the city, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Kyiv “could well be under siege” in what U.S. officials believe is a brazen attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to dismantle the government and replace it with his own regime.”
Newsweek share in Time’s nostalgia:
“The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country. Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty,” read the statement, per the outlet.
Say what you will, but I am old enough to remember Penn’s so-called bravery following the Hurricane Katrina disaster when Penn posed for the cameras showing him helping carry water and ‘rescue’ people as the folks who remained looted hurricane-beaten stores and I can’t help but think that it’s all for show.