Sean Penn snubbed his ex-wife Madonna and pledged his support for her estranged husband Guy Ritchie as he accepted BAFTA/LA's Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film at a Hollywood ceremony on Thursday.

Penn was presented with the prize by director Paul Thomas Anderson at the annual bash to celebrate all things British in Hollywood. When he took to the stage, the actor - married to Madonna from 1985-1989 - sent a message to Brit Richie, hinting his career could flourish after divorcing the Material Girl.

Penn said, "What's my British thing to say? Guy Ritchie is back!"

Before presenting the prize, Anderson mocked Penn by comparing him to reclusive filmmaker Kubrick - who inspired the award. The filmmaker said, "Stanley Kubrick was a perfectionist and a man of amazing intellect. Sean's not really either one of those things. Stanley Kubrick was a photographer in the beginning of his career. Sean has done considerable damage to photographers' cameras in the beginning of his career. Stanley Kubrick made Spartacus. Sean Penn spent 32 days in L.A. County Jail."