It’s a gag worthy of an Armando Iannucci screenplay. And yet it is real. In this week’s presidential run-off in Ukraine, 41-year-old actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a political unknown, leads the pack of candidates. His 30 percent share of the vote eclipsed that of his nearest rival, the incumbent Petro Poroshenko (17 percent). With the final vote due on 21 April, Zelenskiy’s reputation as “one of Ukraine’s most popular comedians” has sparked bemused excitement worldwide. But who is he? And what is his comedy like?
The Guardian: How funny is the comedian who may be Ukraine’s next president?
Leading actor and creative director of Kvartal 95, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is also the frontrunner for Ukrainian presidency, greets the public from the stage of Dnipro-Arena stadium in Dnipro on March 26, 2019.
