Hollywood actor and documentary maker, Sean Penn, star of movies such as Mystic River and Milk has told reporters that he may return to Ukraine to take up arms against the Russian invaders.
The 61-year-old was in Ukraine filming a documentary on the invasion in February and interviewed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky a day before the invasion began. In an interview with Hollywood Authentic he said he thought about fighting in Ukraine, saying:
"The only possible reason for me staying in Ukraine longer last time would've been for me to be holding a rifle, probably without body armour, because as a foreigner, you would want to give that body armour to one of the civilian fighters who doesn't have it or to a fighter with more skills than I have, or to a younger man or woman who could fight for longer or whatever."
"So, where I am in life is short of doing that, but if you've been in Ukraine [fighting] has to cross your mind. 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**k is going on?"
He continued:
"Look, my intention is to go back into Ukraine. But I'm not an idiot, I am not certain what I can offer. I don't spend a lot of time texting the president or his staff while they're under siege and their people are being murdered. I'd probably send one message through the chief of staff. 'Here's what I'm looking to do that I think would be of value. You only have to answer me in one of two ways: don't come or come and do what you're planning, or come, but here's where you could be more helpful.'"
He finished by saying of Zelensky:
"Seeing him the next day, it struck me that I was now looking at a guy who knew that he had to rise to the ultimate level of human courage and leadership. I think he found out that he was born to do that."
Penn has been a controversial figure throughout his career and hit the headlines in recent years when he travelled to Mexico to film a documentary interview with El Chapo, the notorious Mexican drug lord who was on the run at the time.
[Based on reporting by: Ladbible]
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