Sean Penn was scheduled to introduce “Licorice Pizza” director Paul Thomas Anderson at Saturday night’s DGA Awards, but was forced to cancel when he tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the event.
According to Deadline, Anderson made the announcement from the stage of the event, held by the Directors Guild of America.
“Sean tested positive for COVID, which is kind of crazy considering what he’s done for all of us,” Anderson said of Penn, who recently returned from Ukraine, where he’s been filming a documentary about the Russian invasion.
READ MORE: Sean Penn Reflects On Meeting With Ukraine President Zelenskyy: ‘I Was In The Presence Of Something’
“Like a World War I veteran coming home, slipping on a step,” Anderson observed. “So, it’s a drag not to have him here. It’s a pleasure to work with him and all the actors. It’s the best part of this job that we all have.”
Paul Thomas Anderson announces Sean Penn tested positive for COVID and that’s why he couldn’t make it tonight to present medallion for Licorice Pizza. PTA acknowledges how much Penn stepped up during pandemic, likening it to soldier back from combat and this happens… #DGAawards pic.twitter.com/tpHLkXf53Q
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) March 13, 2022
However, on Sunday morning, a rep for Penn told The Hollywood Reporter that the initial test result appeared to be a false positive.
According to the rep, Penn had never been symptomatic and that he tested negative that morning, 48 hours after being tested in accordance with attending the DGA Awards.
