Actor Sean Penn says he is considering “taking up arms” and fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russian invaders.
The 61-year-old actor made the comment on Saturday after filming a documentary on Russia’s invasion at the start of the conflict in February.
The only reason he would stay in the country longer “would’ve been for me to be holding a rifle,” Penn said, adding he would fight without body armor so he could give his to a civilian fighter or a fighter “with more skills than I have,” according to Hollywood Authentic.
“So, where I am in life is short of doing that, but if you’ve been in Ukraine, [fighting] has to cross your mind,” Penn said. “And you kind of think, ‘What century is this?’ Because I was at the gas station in Brentwood the other day, and I’m now thinking about taking up arms against Russia? What the f*** is going on?”
PUTIN CLAIMS RUSSIA CAN WITHSTAND WESTERN SANCTIONS AND SIGNALS TROOP REGROUP
The actor added that there are questions to be answered if someone was in or near a war, including how one would react and if they are suffering emotional or psychological damage. Penn said those questions influence “a certain part of my own pursuits” that he would need answered “on some level.”
Penn praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for uniting the Ukrainian people. He also recognized the country’s citizens for their perseverance against Russian forces, describing them as “the biggest, most important [group of people] in our lifetime as an aspiration.”
“They are together like never before and, as I said, that’s the historical legacy of Zelensky because he’s the man who did it,” Penn said. “They’ll never be able to take it away from him that he unified the Ukrainians to fight for their country.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Penn arrived in Ukraine in November 2021 in preparation for his documentary. Ukraine’s Office of the President praised the actor in February 2022 for his bravery “that many others have been lacking” and said the more “true friends” Ukraine has who support the country’s freedom, “the quicker we can stop this heinous invasion by Russia.”
