It has been nearly six months since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky relied on constant visits by Hollywood stars to keep the world’s focus on Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Jessica Chastain has become the latest entertainment industry figure to shine the spotlight on Ukraine. In a photo posted on Zelensky’s official Telegram account this week, Chastain is seated at a table at a meeting with the Ukrainian president, smirking slightly as she stands arm in arm with him for a snapshot. floating.
“American actress Jessica Chastain is in Ukraine today,” Zelensky’s account said in a post that accompanied the photo.
“For us, celebrity visits like this are invaluable,” he added. will be like.”
Ben Stiller, Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn and Liev Schreiber visited the war-torn country following a unilateral Russian attack.
Penn made some of the biggest headlines in Ukraine when he was filming a documentary in February when Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces entered. met.
In an interview with CNN in March, Penn said, “I met with President Zelensky the day before the invasion, and I met him again the day of the invasion, but I don’t know if he knew he was born for this.
“I know that we must invest everything necessary to support the Ukrainian people and support President Zelensky, or else have a legitimate memory of what America wants I don’t think you can,” CORE Response told Anderson Cooper.
However, visits to war zones by the rich and famous are not without criticism.
“I think what they are doing is very problematic,” said Iran Kapoor, author of “Celebrity Humanitarianism: The Ideology of Global Charity,” about Hollywood photo shoots in Ukraine at ITK told to
“Who [Hollywood stars] represent? Come to think of it, they are only representing themselves and this is because they need and crave public recognition in order to build their brand.
“It’s all about branding.”
Mr Kapoor said Zelensky, a TV actor and a well-known face in Ukraine before entering politics, was not to blame for the star-studded meeting.
“He is a smart, media-savvy leader, so he knows that Ukraine is much weaker than the giant Ukraine. [President Vladimir] Putin’s Russia. He also knows that the only way a small and relatively weak segment of Ukraine can resist Russian aggression is to continue to pressure the West to continue its assistance.
According to Kapoor, for Zelensky, tapping into social media, the press, and “the entire Western celebrity machine” are “effective ways to continue to apply that pressure in a potentially waning public interest.” “is.
Stiller, a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, revealed why he landed in Ukraine in June. The ‘Severance’ director and ‘Meet the Fockers’ star called Zelensky a ‘hero’ when he met World Refugee Day.
In a statement following a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian president, Stiller said the purpose of his visit was to “strive in solidarity with the displaced people in Ukraine and around the world” and to “bring greater attention to the humanitarian situation.” “Let them do it.”
Reflecting on the trip in an interview with Deadline this week, the 56-year-old entertainer said being there gave him a perspective he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. “
Darrell West, vice president and director of governance research at the Brookings Institution, said Zelensky’s high-profile gathering “is a great way to drive media coverage, because reporters love celebrities. That’s great for Zelensky.” A photo shoot with a top celebrity.
But West, who wrote the book Celebrity Politics, says these encounters don’t necessarily mean moving the needle.
“People understand that celebrities are not de facto experts, so they don’t take public comment seriously on professional topics such as foreign policy.
“But celebrities can raise money and drive media coverage, so they can help leaders set the agenda for things they care about.”
Not that anyone in Hollywood is ready to jet off to Ukraine to appear by Zelensky’s side. was collected.
Also this week, “Under the Siege” actor Steven Seagal appeared in a video aired on Russia’s state-run television network in which he said Kyiv was responsible for the deadly attack on a prison in eastern Ukraine. repeated the Kremlin’s claim that
But recent polls show a majority of Americans support Washington’s response to the Russian aggression, with 63% of those polled last month polling by The Economist and YouGov. says it’s “almost right” or “should be stricter”. “Safe Matters” in favor of Ukraine and Zelensky.
“As they get closer to controversial topics, celebrities often choose to stay away from them because they don’t want to incur backlash by taking public positions on controversial issues,” West said. Told.
But with the war lingering and the focus of Americans and the media likely to shift elsewhere, Mr. Kapoor said Mr. Zelensky is very likely to host countless more Hollywood visitors. Stated.
“This is a hopeless situation, [Zelensky] Whatever he needs to do should be done. But celebrities are not desperate. “
Kapoor suggested that Hollywood players could contribute more to the causes they care about by “playing a background role” or making anonymous donations to reputable organizations.
“They are very privileged people who need to know where they are and don’t know,” says Kapoor.
But Zelensky and his government have emphasized celebrity visits, showing that there are real benefits to keeping Ukraine in the spotlight.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry thanked Hollywood stars such as Penn, Schreiber, Jolie and Stiller in June.
“You are more than just an inspiration to all of us,” said the message. [Ukrainian] Man. “
