5 Hollywood stars you probably didn’t know were Ukrainian, from Mila Kunis, Milla Jovovich and Vera Farmiga, to Katheryn Winnick of Vikings and Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy
- Mila Kunis spent several years of her childhood growing up in Chernivtsi before moving to Los Angeles, while Resident Evil’s Milla Jovovich was born in Kyiv
- The Conjuring star Vera Farmiga, who was raised in the Ukrainian community in New Jersey, is among film and television stars who are proud of their roots
Europe’s second largest country by area, Ukraine has a rich tradition of arts and culture – and has actually produced some of Hollywood’s best and brightest talents.
Here are five North American celebs who were either born in Ukraine or have strong Ukrainian roots, and how they’re keeping their heritage alive now that they’ve made it big.
1. Mila Kunis
Before she got her big break on the television series, That 70s Show, Mila Kunis spent the first half of her childhood in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi. When she was seven, her family relocated to the US, in part due to anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union, which Ukraine was still a part of at that time.
The change was a huge upheaval for the Black Swan star, who was enrolled in second grade at a local school in Los Angeles despite not speaking a word of English. To help her gain more fluency, Kunis’ mother enrolled her in acting lessons – something that undoubtedly paid off in more ways than the family expected.
2. Milla Jovovich
Supermodel and movie star Milla Jovovich is known for her illustrious career and jet-setting lifestyle, but her origins are much more humble. Born in the capital city of Kyiv, the Resident Evil and The Fifth Element star spent her first few years in Ukraine and her mother’s native Moscow, and then later the US, where her parents worked as house cleaners for director Brian DePalma. The actress and musician has been vocal about her roots, performing Ukrainian folk songs and raising money for local charities during the 2014 protests in Kyiv.
3. Vera Farmiga
Although she was born in the US, actress Vera Farmiga was raised in a Ukrainian community in New Jersey. Famous for her role as American paranormal investigator, Lorraine Warren, in The Conjuring film franchise, Farmiga didn’t actually learn how to speak English until she was six years old, according to Vulture.