Del Toro received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance , and in his acceptance speech dedicated the award " to the man himself , Che Guevara and I want to share this with Steven Soderbergh . He was there pushing it even when there were lulls and pushing all of us " . Guevara 's widow Aleida March , who is president of the Che Guevara Studies Center , sent a congratulatory note to Del Toro upon hearing the news of his award . Del Toro was awarded a 2009 Goya Award as the best Spanish Lead Actor . Actor Sean Penn , who won an Oscar for his role in '' Milk '' , remarked that he was surprised and disappointed that '' Che '' and Del Toro were not also up for any Academy Award nominations . During his acceptance speech for the Best Actor 's trophy at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , Penn expressed his dismay stating , " The fact that there are n't crowns on Soderbergh 's and Del Toro 's heads right now , I do n't understand ... that is such a sensational movie , '' Che '' . " In reference to what Penn deemed a snub , he added " Maybe because it 's in Spanish , maybe the length , maybe the politics "
Screen Actors Guild Awards
15th Screen Actors Guild Awards
Che (2008 film)