Skip to main content

Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Володимир Олександрович Зеленський

Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Actor
Born Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine
Citizenship Ukraine
Age 48 yr Today

9 min read

Reading time

1,657

Words

Published

61

Film credits

25

Awards

TL;DR

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the 6th President of Ukraine, was elected in 2019 after playing the president on the comedy series Servant of the People. He won 73.22% of the vote in the second round. Since the 2022 Russian invasion, he has become a global symbol of resistance and has received numerous honors including the Time Person of the Year.

Identity & family.

KIN · 5

Names, aliases, and relatives of Volodymyr Zelenskyy — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Native Name Володимир Олександрович Зеленський
Aliases Wolodymyr Selenski, Wolodymir Selenskij, Wolodymyr Selenskij, Wolodymyr Selenskiy, Präsident Wolodymyr Selensky, Wolodymyr Selenskyj, Volodimir Zelenski, Volodímir Zelenski, Vladimir Zelenskiy, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Zelensky, Volodimir Zelensky, Volodymir Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelensky, Volodímir Zelensky, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy
PARENTS
Rimma Zelenska Oleksandr Zelenskyj
SPOUSES
Olena Zelenska
CHILDREN
Kyrylo Zelenskyi Oleksandra Zelenska

At a glance.

STATS

Volodymyr Zelenskyy by the numbers — life, work, and family.

48 Age
61 Film credits
25 Awards
1 Marriage
2 Children

Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?

BIOGRAPHY

Volodymyr Zelenskyy — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born on January 25, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR, to Rimma Zelenska and Oleksandr Zelenskyj. He attended Kryvyi Rih Lyceum 95 and later earned a law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics.

Career

Zelenskyy created the production company Kvartal 95, which produced the television series Servant of the People 2015, where he played President Vasiliy Petrovich Goloborodko. The show’s popularity led to the creation of a political party with the same name in March 2018. Zelenskyy announced his candidacy on December 31, 2018, and won the presidency in 2019 with 73.22% of the vote, defeating incumbent Petro Poroshenko.

As an actor, he appeared in films such as 8 First Dates 2012 and Office Romance. Our time 2011. He also provided the Ukrainian voice for Paddington Bear in Paddington 2014 and Paddington 2 2017. During his presidency, he has led Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion and was named Time Person of the Year in 2022.

Personal life

Zelenskyy is married to Olena Zelenska, and they have two children: Kyrylo Zelenskyi and Oleksandra Zelenska. His parents are Rimma Zelenska and Oleksandr Zelenskyj. He stands 5 feet 6 inches 1.67 m tall.

Legacy

Zelenskyy has received numerous international awards including the Time Person of the Year 2022, the Sakharov Prize, and the Charlemagne Prize. He was honored with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and the Order of the White Eagle. In 2022, a road in Harlow, Essex was renamed Zelenskyy Avenue. He also became the first foreign leader to address the UK Parliament by videolink in March 2022. Zelenskyy is remembered as a president who stood firm against Russian aggression and inspired global unity.

Filmography.

FILMS · 61

Browse the complete filmography of Volodymyr Zelenskyy — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

  1. TV Poster for 60 Minutes

    60 Minutes

  2. TV Poster for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

    Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

  3. TV Poster for Sanremo Music Festival

    Sanremo Music Festival

  4. TV Poster for Servant of the People

    Servant of the People

  5. TV Poster for Turning Point: the Bomb and the Cold War

    Turning Point: the Bomb and the Cold War

  6. Movie Poster for The Zelensky Story

    The Zelensky Story

  7. TV Poster for Dancing with the Stars

    Dancing with the Stars

  8. TV Poster for No Love in the City 3

    No Love in the City 3

  9. TV Poster for Caren Miosga

    Caren Miosga

  10. Movie Poster for Two Men at War

    Two Men at War

  11. TV Poster for The Matt Gaetz Show

    The Matt Gaetz Show

  12. Movie Poster for 8 First Dates

    8 First Dates

  13. TV Poster for Three Wars

    Three Wars

  14. Movie Poster for No Love in the City 3

    No Love in the City 3

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 24

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

  • Honorary Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
  • Teletriumph
  • Ronald Reagan Freedom Award
  • Grand cross of the Order of the White Lion
  • Grand Cross with collar of the Order of Vytautas the Great
  • State Award of Alexander Dubček
  • Coat of Arms of Tallinn
  • Financial Times Person of the Year
  • Time Person of the Year
  • Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
  • Philadelphia Liberty Medal
  • Boris Nemtsov Prize
  • Sakharov Prize
  • Order of the White Eagle
  • Charlemagne Prize
  • Profile in Courage Award
  • Global Citizen Awards
  • weapon of honor
  • Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
  • Order of Viesturs, 1st class
  • Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross‎
  • Award For Freedom of Mass Media
  • The City of Athens Democracy Award

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 4

A wall of memorable lines from Volodymyr Zelenskyy — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

  • The Fight Is Here; I Need Ammunition, Not a Ride

  • What Is Russia Doing Now? It Is Trying to Set a Precedent. If It Manages to Break the Statehood of the Neighboring Nation, Other States Will Do the Same. What Is Ukraine Doing Now with Its Partners? Trying to Set Another Precedent. so That All the Aggressors in the World Once and for All See That the War Will Create the Biggest Problems for Them for the Aggressors. so That They Know That the Hatred They Spread Against Ordinary People Like You and Me, Against Other Nations, Will Strike First and Foremost at Themselves When the Free World Refuses to Deal with Those Who Spread Such Hatred. This Is a Very Transparent Process of Struggle. and Everyone Chooses a Role in It.

  • Ruscism Respects Neither State Borders nor Human Values.

  • When Any Tyrant Hates America and Denies Its Exceptional Role in the Struggle for Freedom, He Recognizes His Own Inevitable Defeat. to Russian Tyranny I Say the World Needs More, Not Less, American Exceptionalism.

Did you know?

FACTS · 8

Little-known facts about Volodymyr Zelenskyy — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

  1. He served as the on-screen president of Ukraine for three seasons on Servant of the People 2015 before being elected to the same office in 2019.

  2. In March 2022, he made a speech appealing to Britain’s parliament for aid during the war in Ukraine. He was the first foreign leader to address the chamber directly by videolink, as he had refused to leave Kyiv.

  3. He has served as President of Ukraine since 2019.

  4. A road in Harlow, Essex was renamed Zelenskyy Avenue, the UK’s first road named after the President of Ukraine, in tribute to his leadership.

  5. An alternative spelling of his name sometimes used is Volodymyr Zelensky.

  6. He provided the Ukrainian voice for Paddington Bear in both Paddington 2014 and Paddington 2 2017.

  7. He was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2022, recognized for his bravery and resilience in leading Ukraine during the war.

  8. On June 8, 2022, he accepted the Legend in Leadership Award from the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 31

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Audited & updated by

Michael Hayes

Senior Copy Editor & Editorial Fact Reviewer

Michael is the last person to read a profile before it goes live, which makes him the one who catches what everyone else missed. 5 years as a copy editor has given him a sharp sense for what's off. A wrong year, a vague credit, a sentence that almost makes sense but doesn't quite. He's especially thorough with filmographies. He'll tell you that's where most of the errors hide. He's right.

Report an issue

If something on this page looks off, we genuinely want to know about it. Send us a quick email with the celebrity's name, the detail that seems incorrect, and any sources you're referencing. We review every report and update the page as soon as we can.

Report an issue