Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made numerous public appearances since the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine, speaking at parliaments and cultural events across the world.
But there’s one venue that keeps resisting the Ukrainian president: the Academy Awards ceremony.
According to American pop culture outlet Variety, quoting “sources,” the organizer of the Oscars has refused to let Zelenskyy appear in their 95th awards ceremony, scheduled for overnight Sunday into Monday — though the magazine says the request was made by a top agent, Mike Simpson, and not Ukrainian authorities.
The Academy declined to comment to Variety.
Zelenskyy had already been snubbed by the Oscars last year. The American actress Amy Schumer, who was hosting the ceremony, said she had asked for the Ukrainian president to make an appearance, but was turned down.
In the meantime, the Ukrainian president opened the Cannes Film Festival last May, and spoke at the Berlin Film Festival in February (both times remotely). In December, CNN reported that FIFA rebuffed Zelenskyy’s request to share a “message of peace” before the World Cup final kicked off in Qatar.
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