Vladimir Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine, who rose from a successful career in entertainment to national leadership after winning the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election.

Vladimir Zelenskyy was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR (Soviet Union), into a Jewish family. His father, Oleksandr Zelenskyy, worked as a professor at the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics, while his mother, Rimma Zelenska, was an engineer. He received strong English-language education during primary school and spent four years living in Erdenet, Mongolia, due to his father’s work before beginning high school.

Vladimir Zelenskyy studied law at the Kryvyi Rih campus of Kyiv National Economic University. Although he completed his legal education, he did not pursue a professional legal career beyond a two-month internship period.

Developing a passion for theater at an early age, Vladimir Zelenskyy began performing during his middle school years in the popular comedy television competition KVN, known as the “Club of the Funny and Inventive.” He became a member of a comedy troupe at a young age and officially launched his career within the long-standing Soviet and post-Soviet entertainment tradition of KVN.

While studying at law school, Vladimir Zelenskyy co-founded the comedy group “Kvartal 95” with a group of friends. Performing in competitions and staging live shows with this troupe brought him widespread recognition. He later appeared in numerous Russian and Ukrainian television series and feature films, while also writing scripts for comedy programs. As his television presence grew, he became one of Ukraine’s most recognizable media figures.

The comedy program “Vecherniy Kvartal,” associated with Vladimir Zelenskyy, was filmed multiple times in Turkey. During one such episode, he humorously satirized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In 2013, during the outbreak of anti-government protests in Ukraine, Vladimir Zelenskyy publicly expressed support for the demonstrations. He also organized numerous concerts and performances for Ukrainian soldiers fighting against pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine.

In 2015, Vladimir Zelenskyy achieved massive popularity through his leading role as President Vasyl Holoborodko in the television series Servant of the People, in which he portrayed an ordinary teacher who unexpectedly becomes head of state.

Vladimir Zelenskyy married his high school classmate Olena Kiyashko in September 2003. The couple has two children: a daughter, Oleksandra Zelenska (born 2004), and a son, Cyril Zelenskyy (born 2013).

Inspired by the premise of Servant of the People, in which an ordinary citizen rises to the presidency, Vladimir Zelenskyy entered politics in March 2018 by founding the “Servant of the People” political party. On December 31, 2018, he officially announced his candidacy in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election.

In the second round of the election held on April 21, 2019, Vladimir Zelenskyy won a decisive victory, bringing the presidency of Petro Poroshenko to an end.

Vladimir Zelenskyy stated that he would serve only a single presidential term and would not seek re-election. Avoiding extreme rhetoric toward Russia, he emphasized continued support for Ukraine’s path toward NATO membership and sustained integration with the European Union.

Films and Television

Screenwriter:
2009 – No Love in the City (Feature Film)

Actor:
2015 – Servant of the People (Vasyl Holoborodko) (Television Series)
2015 – 8 New Dates (Nikita) (Feature Film)
2014 – Love in the Big City 3 (Igor) (Feature Film)
2014 – Love in Vegas (Igor) (Feature Film)
2012 – 8 First Dates (Nikita) (Feature Film)
2012 – Love in the Big City 2 (Igor) (Feature Film)
2012 – Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon (Napoleon) (Feature Film)
2011 – Office Romance: Our Time (Novoseltsev) (Feature Film)
2009 – No Love in the City (Igor) (Feature Film)

Source: Biyografiler.com