Ben Stiller concluded his visit to Ukraine on Monday with a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “You are my hero”, the actor said according to Deadline against the president.
Stiller also joked about Zelensky’s earlier career, who was an actor and comedian before entering politics. “You gave up a great acting career for this,” Stiller said. To that Zelensky replied, “Not as pretty as yours.”
The actor, known for films such as Night at the Museum in Meet the Parents, has been ambassador to UN refugee agency UNHCR since 2018. He visited Ukraine in the context of World Refugee Day.
Before his meeting with the president, the actor visited the devastated Irpin and spoke with Ukrainians who have had to leave home and hearth. “It’s one thing to watch the devastation on TV or social media, it’s quite another to see it with your own eyes,” Stiller, 56, told the president. “That’s a lot more shocking.”
–
