The man defending Ukraine from Putin’s attack played a fictional president on television – that also lead defended the country from Russian influence.
Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, came to power after starring in a Ukrainian hit TV series Servant of the People, a political satire that debuted in 2015 and went on for three seasons.
It tells the tale of a history school teacher’s ‘tirade against government corruption’, which goes viral, with Zelensky’s character Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko soon finding himself sitting the president’s seat.
In a true case of life imitating art, in 2018, Zelensky announced his candidacy for the president and won overwhelming support for his anti-establishment ticket.
Born in Kryvyi Rih, a Russian-speaking region in south-eastern Ukraine, Zelensky grew up to get a degree in Law from Kyiv National Economic University, pursuing comedy afterwards.
He created production company Kvartal 95, making films, cartoons and TV shows, including the political hit Servant of the People – where Zelenskyy played the role of president – and just four years later, this became a reality.
Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, came to power after starring in a Ukrainian hit TV series Servant of the People, a political satire that debuted in 2015 and went on for three seasons. Left in the TV show, right in real life
Servant of the People, a political satire that debuted in 2015 and went on for three seasons. It tells the tale of a history school teacher’s ‘tirade against government corruption’, which goes viral, with Zelensky’s character Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko soon finding himself sitting the president’s seat.
The series ran from 2015 to 2019, during which time, in 2018, Zelensky announced his candidacy for the presidential election the following year.
After winning the election with 73.2 per cent of the vote, he captured Ukrainians as a ‘political outsider’ by establishing himself as an anti-establishment and anti-corruption figure.
Fairly young national leader, he has always used social media to communicate with the people of Ukraine, and after horrific scenes of Russian invasions on Ukraine have been shared widely online this week, he has posted plenty of videos online to reassure the country that he is standing strong.
Within his presidential campaign, he also promised to end conflict with Russia and communicate with President Vladmir Putin, but Zelensky has since faced huge tensions with Russia, leading to the invasion earlier this week.
But this great crisis the Ukrainian President is currently facing was one he was used to and has had good practice in his four years acting as president in Servant of the People.
The first episode of the piece of political satire has amassed over 13.7million views on YouTube, with Zelensky starring as Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko, a high-school teacher in his thirties.
He was unexpectedly elected as the President of Ukraine after being filmed by one of his students ranting against the corruption of his country’s government, which ended up going viral.
The series ran from 2015 to 2019, during which time, in 2018, Zelensky announced his candidacy for the presidential election the following year. Pictured in the show
The first episode of the piece of political satire has amassed over 13.7million views on YouTube, with Zelensky starring as Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko, a high-school teacher in his thirties. He was unexpectedly elected as the President of Ukraine after being filmed by one of his students ranting against the corruption of his country’s government, which ended up going viral
Three years into the series being a national show that was widely-watched, a political party was named after the television series with the Ministry of Justice in March 2018.
Three years into the series being a national show that was widely-watched, a political party was named after the television series with the Ministry of Justice in March 2018.
His popularity as a fictional leader was what led him to become the president in 2019.
In the clip that went viral in the fictional series, Zelensky , as Holoborodko, said to his colleague: ‘I am sick and tired of it. Why do our politicians come to power and make the same mistakes?
‘It’s because they are mathematicians. The only thing they know is how to divide, add and multiply their own wealth!
‘We’re choosing between two f****** b*******! It has been like this for 25 years in a row!
‘Do you know what is interesting? Nothing will change this time. Do you know why? It’s because you, my father and I will choose a f****** b****** again!
‘It’s because yes, he’s a f****** b****** but he is still better than the other ones.
‘Then these b******* come to power and steal and steal and steal. These b****** have different names but they act in the same way. And nobody gives a s***.
‘If I could get there for just one week I’d show them.’
And show them, he did… he fictionally became the leader of the country, only to do the same in reality a few years later.
Within the show, too, one storyline focuses on how Zelenskyy , as a fictional leader, was pulled into the centre of White House politics with a phone call from the US President.
The infamous call with Donald Trump, manifested itself into real life, as the ex-president was later impeached.
Since his profile has been raised to an international level following Putin’s advance on Ukraine, Zelensky has become an unlikely sex symbol.
The politician has won a legion of fans for his good looks as the public swooned over his video addresses to foreign powers.
The ex-comedian turned politician turned war leader was also backed for his bravery in staying in Kyiv to help his forces bash back waves of Russian attacks.
Despite his lack of experience and time in office, he has proved a global hit during the invasion, which has seen him continue to stand up to Russian aggression despite being massively outgunned.
Men and woman were quick to compliment the leader for his good looks and said this and his bravery had attracted them to him.
One woman posted on her Twitter account this week: ‘Am I the only girl swooning for President Zelensky? His fearless passion is sooo hot.
His popularity as a fictional leader (pictured) was what led him to become the president in 2019. In the clip that went viral in the fictional series, Zelensky , as Holoborodko, said to his colleague: ‘I am sick and tired of it. Why do our politicians come to power and make the same mistakes?
Within the show, too, one storyline focuses on how Zelenskyy , as a fictional leader, was pulled into the centre of White House politics with a phone call from the US President. Zelensky is pictured on the TV show
Ukrainian President (left) Volodymyr Zelensky’s was compared to Monica Lewinsky by people in his home nation after Democrats announced impeachment proceedings would be launched against Donald Trump
Another wrote online: ‘Sorry if this is inappropriate, but… I never noticed before – Zelensky is hot. Standing up to Russian aggression really brings out his eyes.’
One continued: ‘I haven’t wanted to mention it because it’s not important but Zelensky looks hot as hell.’ Meanwhile a man posted: ‘Is Volodymyr Zelensky kind of hot?’
‘He looks sleepy, but he’s watching his country collapse. Get some sleep and wake up next to him with his compact body and those eyes?’
Another put: ‘Imma say it. Zelensky is hot.’ One man said: ‘Zelensky was already the hottest world leader (close between him and [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau). Homie is off the charts hot now.’
And one more added: ‘Zelensky has MUCH more sex appeal than Trudeau. He should take up his rightful place as the world leader sex icon.’
Zelensky created production company Kvartal 95, making films, cartoons and TV shows, including the political hit Servant of the People – where Zelenskyy played the role of president – and just four years later, this became a reality
Art imitating life or life imitating art? Zelensky become president after starring in a TV show
Servant of the People premiered in 2015 with Volodymyr Zelensky (left) starring as a teacher turned politician.
Born to Jewish parents, Zelensky was expecting to move to Israel to study after passing his exams, but his father refused to let him go, instead sending him to study law at Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics.
Aged just 17 he started comedy and joined the Russian show KVN and won KVN’s Major League in 1997 and spent time across former Soviet countries – including Russia – touring.
By this point married to screenwriter Olena Zelenska, with whom he has two children, he moved into film and television and starred in Love in the Big City, the sequels and Office Romance. Our Time.
But he began showing an interest in politics from 2014 when the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture suggested it would ban Russian artists from the country.
In 2015 he played the president of the country in the TV series Servant of the People, which also railed against corruption in the leadership.
Zelensky took power for real in 2019 after winning a landslide victory against Petro Poroshenko, who is now embroiled in a series of scandals from his time in office.
Like his character, he ran on an anti-corruption campaign and trounced the pro-Russia incumbent by taking 73 percent of votes.
Poroshenko lost to the television star across all regions of the country, including in the west where he traditionally enjoyed strong support.
It was an extraordinary outcome to a campaign that started as a joke but struck a chord with voters frustrated by poverty, corruption and a five-year war.
At his campaign HQ, as the exit polls came out, Zelensky said: ‘I will never let you down. While I am not formally president yet, as a citizen of Ukraine I can tell all post-Soviet countries: ‘Look at us! Everything is possible!’
But despite his landslide victory, uncertainty remained about how Russian-speaker would lead Ukraine, and tackle its biggest threat across the border in the from of Russia and its president.
Since taking power in 2019, he has had to manage forces pulling his country in drastically different directions.
On the one hand, Ukraine has been developing is relationship with the US, NATO and the EU. On the other, Russia and Putin have been desperate to stop the former Soviet state slipping further away.
All the while, he has been seeking to keep his countrymen calm, and has displayed measured leadership in the fact of growing challenged.
But in recent months, he has faced the biggest challenge of his premiership – the threat of a Russian invasion – and has also seen the widespread support he enjoyed in 2019 all-but dissolve.
Just last week, as if to show defiance, Zelensky declared Wednesday would be a ‘day of national unity,’ calling on the country to display the blue-and-yellow flag and sing the national anthem.
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and some 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists in the country’s east, which continues to this day.
While he has made efforts to keep the US on his side, Zelensky had also found himself downplaying the threat to avoid panic among his own citizens.
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