Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky did, in fact, voice Paddington Bear
Zelensky voiced the animated bear in the Ukrainian versions of Paddington and Paddington 2
Aux News Volodymyr Zelensky
Before becoming the president of Ukraine in 2019, it’s now well-known that Volodymyr Zelensky made a living as an actor and comedian. However, new details reveal that he also voiced the Peruvian bear named Paddington in the Ukrainian-dubbed versions of the children’s films.
StudioCanal has confirmed to THR that Zelensky not only voiced the marmalade-loving bear in the 2014 original film, but he also voiced the character in the critically acclaimed sequel Paddington 2.
In an unearthed promotional video for Paddington 2, Zelensky is taped recording his lines over some silly clips of Paddington, and he shares a message for the film.
“Hello to my darling friends. I, Volodymyr Zelensky, will lend my voice to the wonderful, charismatic, friendly bear Paddington,” Zelensky says in the clip.
“Paddington [is a film] you can go to see with your whole family, and everyone will enjoy it regardless of your age,” he adds. “You know you will definitely walk out of the film in a fantastic mood.”
English actor Hugh Bonneville, who plays Paddington’s adopted father Henry Brown, shared the video, tweeting, “Until today I had no idea who provided the voice of @paddingtonbear in Ukraine. Speaking for myself, thank you, President Zelenskiy [sic]. #PaddingtonBear”
Prior to his career as a politician, Zelensky led the satirical series Servant Of The People, in which he stars as a teacher who inadvertently becomes president after a video of him ranting against political corruption went viral. The grassroots political party, Servant of the People was launched in conjunction with the show’s success. The month the series finale aired in 2019, Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine.
One of the country’s most popular comedians, Zelensky also starred in feature films such as No Love In The Big City, Office Romance. Our Time, as well as Me. You. He. She. In 2006, he won Ukraine’s version of Dancing With The Stars.
32 Comments
Giving Putin a hard stare.
usually works…
I never saw Ronald Reagan star in anything this badass:
Wasn’t he in a couple of westerns? Granted, cowboys don’t wield submachine guns, but still.
Westerns, some war movies. I know it wasn’t all movies with chimps for him.
Well, they hadn’t been invented yet.
Lauren Boebert will be using this clip as proof that Zelenskyy is an advocate of Second Amendment rights.
If that gets her to shut up and stop being an unrecruited asset for Putin, great.
If anything like what’s going on in Ukraine happened here, people like Boebert and others that love to pose with AR-15s on the Gram and on Christmas Cards would all be holed up in the mountains, pissing their pants and praying a battle doesn’t come within 500 miles of them.
Not to stick up for Reagan but…
I never saw Ronald Reagan star in anything this badass:Zelensky is kinda like Reagan, except, y’know, talented.
More like, “ZeWINnsky”!
Hopefully not soon “ZeMARTYRsky.” One of the very few good people who also happen to be leader of a country.
So, Paddington Bear was elected president of Ukraine? Breaking News: Great Britain announces mobilization of “entire military might to support our Ukrainian brothers” Also, airdrops of marmalade into Kyiv to begin immediately.
Now I’m imagining some of those tanker planes used to fight forest fires dumping loads of millions of gallons of orange marmalade on Russian troops and equipment. Trying to fly helicopters that’ve been soaked in marmalade may be a bit…interesting.
……..delicious?
Would love to see the Paddington look become de rigueur for live protestors.
Would also love to see Putin try to condemn Paddington as Nazi propaganda.
Putin does kind of have Pooh on his side.
Paddington came from Peru. Didn’t a lot of those Nazis try to hide out in South America? I’m not sure what the connection here is, but I’m sure it’s important.
Don’t need a verifiable connection. Just make one up and repeat, repeat, repeat. “Many people are saying” usually works well.
GO AWAY POOTIN’
I get reports.
Trust me.
Believe you me.
Sometimes, I think these little windows into your mind need some curtains. Not now, of course. But sometimes.
The author of Paddington based him on kids he saw at train stations in London who’s parents set them away from Nazi occupied areas.
Let’s make the blue dufflecoat the symbol of freedom! I mean, it’s even in Ukrainian colours…
Arise bluecoats!
well…that’s good.
At this point he’s Lawful Good version of Ronald Reagan, or at least the closest to it. I hope he and his family remain safe.
Stop. STOP. Oh my god holy shit stop. Stop turning around and worshipping the first person to make you feel safe. Stop infantilizing war. Use your actual brain to critically think about what’s happening around you. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
The thing about the President of Ukraine, he’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at Russia, he doesn’t seem to be livin’… until he bites you, and those black eyes roll over white.
More like Zaddington Bear, amirite?
President Z can play the piano, so mad respect!Friday, when things were still really boiling over, I took a break from the news and hopped over to youtube after one of the anchors mentioned Zelensky’s background as a comedian with no political experience. Much to my surprise, entire episodes of Servant of the People are online and subtitled – officially, too.It was kind of surreal seeing Television President Zelensky dueling corrupt Russians at the same time as Real Life President Zelensky was battling real corrupt Russians. It was like a television ouroboros!So to go from that to standing ovations at the UN is a hell of a feat! (Also, the show was pretty good, too)