- Volodymyr Zelensky was denied an invitation to speak at the 2023 Oscars.
- He had delivered speeches on well-known occasions.
- He was also rejected during Toronto Film Festival.
According to reports, the 2023 Oscars’ organizers and executives turned down Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation to speak at the ceremony.
The comedian-turned-politician, 45, was apparently eyeing a virtual guest appearance at this Sunday’s 95th Academy Awards ceremony but was rejected, according to the reports.
The 2023 Oscar awards will take place on March 12.
WME agent Mike Simpson allegedly “appealed to the Academy” to include Zelensky’s message in the eagerly awaited telecast, but was denied, as per reports.
The story also mentioned that the Ukrainian president had requested to speak at the Oscars for the second consecutive year, but had been denied.
Zelensky has delivered well-known speeches at award events, including the 2022 Grammy Awards and the Golden Globes in January, since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in February.
Most recently, Zelensky spoke to the audience at the Berlin Film Festival, where Sean Penn’s movie Superpower, which is about his wartime leadership, had its world premiere.
Zelenskyy’s team attempted to contact the Toronto Film Festival in September 2022 regarding the leader’s potential satellite appearance, but they were rejected.
TIFF “does not comment on discussions with dignitaries, government officials or international embassies,” a representative for the event said at the time.
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