Sean Penn's Shock At Oscars Joke 'Stupidity'

Sean Penn has said he was surprised by the "flagrant stupidity" that followed an immigration joke he made at the Oscars.

The actor outraged some when, presenting the best picture award to Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu's Birdman, he asked: "Who gave this son of a b***h his green card?"

Many found the joke referring to the document that gives permanent US residence to immigrants distasteful, but Inarritu said he thought it was "hilarious".

"Sean and I have that kind of brutal (relationship) where only true friendship can survive," he said.

Inarritu directed Penn in the 2003 film 21 Grams, and the two remain close.

"I make on him a lot of very tough jokes that I will not tell you," Inarritu added.

Penn has remained largely silent on the topic until now.

"I'm always surprised by flagrant stupidity. I keep having more hope," he said.

"The fact is that I understand it. I see it all the time. When somebody sees the opportunity to frame something in the comfort that it will be common that they can do that and they can get a group to look at them and that they will take on those positions and never really think about what it was.

"I have absolutely no apologies.

"In fact, I have a big (expletive) you for every ... anybody who is so stupid not to have gotten the irony when you've got a country that is so xenophobic.

"If they had their way, you wouldn't have great film-makers like Alejandro working in this country. Thank God we do."

Penn's new film The Gunman, which stars Idris Elba and Javier Bardem, is released on 20 March.