Though Donald Trump’s disastrous tenure as President of the United States may have given a bad name to reality TV stars-turned-presidents, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has many people rethinking the deleterious connection.
Most people know that before becoming president of Ukraine in 2019, Zelenskyy made his living as an actor and comedian—a career he began when he was still just a teenager. But new clips have been popping up of Zelenskyy’s days on the stage which, when coupled with his fierce determination to stay put and defend his country, are quickly turning him into a kind of modern-day folk hero.
Over the weekend, The Recount’s Kat Abughazaleh pulled up a clip of Zelenskyy getting jiggy with it back in 2006, when he was a contestant on the Ukrainian version of Dancing With the Stars.
Lotta deserved, justified Zelenskyy love on the timeline this week. The Recount’s @abughazalehkat dug this gem up: https://t.co/VShN1JTA5W
— The Recount (@therecount) February 27, 2022
That he took home the top prize should not be surprising to anyone who watches the clip.
here’s the full three minute video. (I used a vpn to find it — not sure if it’s accessible without one)https://t.co/vkXwJ63HSA
— Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) February 27, 2022
It was, of course, just the latest in a long line of Zelenskyy’s surprising accomplishments that people are celebrating following his bold stance against Russia. In addition to his time spent on the dance floor, Zelenskyy stans are also remembering the time he created and starred in a series in which he played a history teacher who accidentally became president.
Before he was President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy created and starred in a Ukrainian show about a history teacher who accidentally becomes the president after one of his rants about political corruption goes viral. pic.twitter.com/colJWXN5TZ
— The Recount (@therecount) February 27, 2022
Perhaps most endearingly, he also voiced the ever-lovable Paddington in the film’s international release.
And here is Zelensky as the voice of Paddington pic.twitter.com/vif4L8hGGz
— Nick de Semlyen (@NickdeSemlyen) February 27, 2022