By Mark Gray
10:38am PST, Mar 6, 2022
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Since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine, the world is getting to know Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. As missile strikes rain down on Ukraine cities including its capital, Kyiv, the former actor and comedian has eschewed invitations to leave the under-attack country, choosing instead to stay with his people and fight. The entertainment world has marveled at President Zelensky's resilience and guts. "We have fellow actor in Zelensky who deserves some credit tonight for fighting the fight," Michael Keaton said during the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 27.
Click through to see all the other celebrities who've been praising the Ukrainian president…
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"Zelensky really showcases through his extreme bravery just how soft, coddled and phony the mochismo of 98% of American elected officials are…," Meghan McCain tweeted on Feb. 26.
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"Extraordinary. Look, I'm a comedian. I know comedians. I don't know that we would be able to rise to the challenge of being in a movie about war. You see this gentleman's courage and tenacity and the way that he's leading his country. It's incredibly moving. My fear for Ukraine is that we're going to get sucked into this idea of a heroic narrative while these folks get surrounded in a long-term siege that's just going to cause so much more death and destruction," Jon Stewart told "Morning Joe" on March 2.
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"I am so proud that he is the leader that we have. He understands our fight, that we are Ukrainian strong, and we will fight to the death to protect what is ours and is our home… I want the world to see…this is a true hero. This is a true leader who's bringing the world together and highlighting our Ukraine. He's staying with his people. He is willing to fight on the ground." —"Big Sky" actress Katheryn Winnick, who was born to Ukrainian parents and went to school in Ukraine, told Fox News on Feb. 28
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"The president of Ukraine was a comic. He was a wonderful comic performer. And we should respect that for him. To come to the presidency was amazing," Brian Cox said during the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 27
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Stephen Colbert said Volodymyr Zelensky is "perhaps the greatest symbol of their indomitable resistance… He's not fleeing, he's not abandoning ship. He's staying! He's like the captain of the Titanic, if the Titanic spent five days successfully beating the iceberg."
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"He's been a great leader, he's been vocal, he's been emotional, he's been genuine and it's been inspiring to me as a Jewish man, and I'm sure it's inspiring and rallying the rest of the world….. Right now the world needs him." —Michael Rapaport told TMZ on March 3 of Ukraine's president, who's Jewish
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"We support you President Zelensky!! We are praying for you and your country! God Bless You All!" –Madonna
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"Calling Jewish president of Ukraine – a nazi – when his family fought & died fighting Nazis – is a sick insult to the leader of nation being attacked" —John Cusack tweeted on Feb. 25
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"Zelensky ..Hero" —Rosanna Arquette tweeted on Feb. 25
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"With every second that this war continues, President Zelensky's reputation as a strong, brave, inspiring leader soars at the same speed as President Putin's reputation for being a vile, cowardly, bully-boy thug. We're all with you @ZelenskyyUa – keep fighting." —Piers Morgan tweeted on Feb. 26
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"Heartbroken seeing the violence in Ukraine, but glad they've got one hell of a leader. He's a Jewish descendent of holocaust survivors, so he knows the stakes. Zelenskyy is putting his people first and showing bullies they'll never give up. #StandWithUkraine" —Julian Edelman tweeted on Feb. 28
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"It must eat Putin up to see Zelensky become a global hero, the strong courageous leader towering in moral worth over the Russian pariah. It makes Zelensky's fate all the more precarious. And the situation in Ukraine even more fraught." —Dan Rather tweeted on Feb. 27
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"President Zelensky is on the front lines fighting for the lives of his people and the survival of Democracy. Americans who don't support him are useful idiots in Putin's evil pursuit. Donald Trump, I'm looking at you." —Rob Reiner tweeted on Feb. 27
