Top 5 Hollywood stars fluent in Ukrainian
Milla Jovovich and Catherine Vinnyk (photo: RBC-Ukraine collage)
Many global stars have Ukrainian roots - names like Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone, Mila Kunis, and others immediately come to mind. However, the following five Hollywood celebrities not only have Ukrainian origins but also speak the native language.
They will be the focus of the RBC-Ukraine article (Styler project).
Milla Jovovich
The actress you probably remember as the red-haired Leeloo from the cult film The Fifth Element, was born in Kyiv but emigrated to the United States with her parents at the age of five.
The star's real name is Milica Bohdanivna Jovovich, and besides Ukrainian roots, she has Montenegrin ancestry from her father's side.
She takes pride in her heritage and has even released music albums featuring Ukrainian songs.
Milla Jovovich (photo: instagram.com/millajovovich)
Katheryn Winnick
A Canadian and Hollywood actress and director, known for roles in the series Vikings, Bones, and House, didn't speak English until she was eight years old.
This is not surprising, as her family exclusively spoke Ukrainian, despite the fact that Kateryna Anna Vinnytska (the actress's real name) was born in Canada.
The star actively supports Ukraine and takes pride in her heritage, openly condemning Russia's aggressive actions against her homeland.
Katheryn Winnick (photo: instagram.com/katherynwinnick)
Ivanna Sakhno
Unlike other members of this list, Ivanna Sakhno is still on her way to the heights of fame.
She moved to the USA at the age of 15, never forgetting about Ukraine and always expressing her stance.
Last year, she went viral in the music video of the famous Irish performer Hozier - Eat Your Young, where the Ukrainian played the lead role.
Ivanna Sakhno (photo: instagram.com/ivannasakhno)
Vera Farmiga
The parents of this actress moved to the USA before her birth. Vera Farmiga, born in New Jersey, attended a Ukrainian Catholic school until the age of six and danced in a folk ensemble.
She and her younger sister Taissa, known for the series American Horror Story, have retained their knowledge of the Ukrainian language.
In 2004, Farmiga portrayed an American of Ukrainian descent in the series Touching Evil, where she spoke her native language.
Vera Farmiga (photo: instagram.com/verafarmiga)
Jack Palance
The legendary Oscar-winning actor, whose real name was Vladimir Palagnyuk, was born in the USA in 1919 into a family of Ukrainian immigrants.
Like other heroes in our list, he always proudly spoke about his Ukrainian heritage.
Living a prolific life, the actor categorically refused to associate himself with Russia, thus in 2004, he declined the title of People's Artist of that country.
Jack Palance (photo: Getty Images)
