Actors Sean Penn and Ben Stiller (both from “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) have been permanently banned from Russia by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The justification given by the ministry was the “principle of reciprocity”.
The two are part of the long list of artists who visited Ukraine during the war and spoke out publicly against Russia. Penn went even further. He filmed a documentary about the war and said he was thinking of joining the Ukrainian armed resistance.
During his time in Ukraine, Penn made the following statement:
“It is already a brutal mistake of lost lives and broken hearts, and if he does not give up, I believe Putin will make a terrible mistake for all of humanity. President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have stood as historical symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the spearhead of a democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America will be lost. “
Stiller visited Ukrainian refugees in Poland in June, then traveled to Kiev. As part of his work representing the United Nations Refugee Agency, he spent time with President Volodymyr Zelensky on World Refugee Day.
“I was really impressed with the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the president,” Stiller said, noting that the Ukrainian president “raised events and offered leadership and real determination to his people to overcome this dire situation.”
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, “the hostile actions of the American authorities, which continue to follow a Russophobic course, destroying bilateral ties and increasing confrontation between Russia and the United States, will continue to be resolutely rejected”.
In addition to the actor duo, the list of people banned from Russia includes US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Senators Rick Scott, Mark Kelley, Pat Toomey, Kevin Kramer, Krysten Sinema, among others.
The full list includes a total of 25 “high-ranking officials, representatives of the business and community of experts, as well as cultural figures”.
“Seeking security is a right”.
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador @Ben Stiller is in Ukraine for #World Refugee Day. It is there to be in solidarity with people displaced by wars and conflicts around the world. pic.twitter.com/30bpn0dAFN
– UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency (@Refugees) June 20, 2022
Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
