Hollywood and music stars with Ukrainian heritage have been speaking out about events in the country this week in the wake of the Russian invasion and continued fighting.
Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga, born to Ukrainian parents, is among the celebrities who took to social media to condemn Russia’s attack.
The “Up in the Air” actor posted an image of the Ukrainian flag on her Instagram account, Thursday, and quoted from the Ukrainian National Anthem with the hashtag “I stand with Ukraine.”
Farmiga can currently be seen starring in “Hawkeye” on the Disney+ streaming channel alongside Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld.
Another actor with Ukrainian parents, Katheryn Winnick, is best known for her starring role in six seasons of TV show “Vikings.”
This week on her Instagram story she wrote “I woke up this morning to texts from my Ukrainian family and friends saying ‘it has begun'”.
“Some fleeing, some taking shelter underground and others staying to fight.” She also posted a photo of her parents.
“I am a proud Ukrainian” she states, adding, “We are a Peaceful Country. We Do Not Deserve This War.”
Ukrainian-born actor and model Olga Kurylenko posted the message “Praying for Ukraine and the safety of its people” along with the hashtag plea #pleasestopthewar
Grammy-nominated recording artist Regina Spektor wrote a lengthy, emotional post on Instagram, reflecting on her Russian and Ukrainian heritage, adding “Today my heart hurts.”
“There were, and still are, real Nazis in the world. But in Ukraine that are just millions of civilians being pulled into a war, and in Russia there are children being sent to fight and die for no reason other than the bottomless and horror-filled ‘more more more more more more more’ of politicians and corporations.”
“And it’s terrifying… this part of being a grownup sucks. Being this aware of how endless these circles seem to be,” she said.