George Clooney clearly follows the Ukrainian news and sympathizes with the nation's intensifying struggle to chart a democratic course and overcome a history of corruption and authoritarian rule. The actor wore a t-shirt with a photo of Ukraine's imprisoned former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko for the photo call of his new movie.
On Jan. 16, the Hollywood
superstar attended a photo call in Los Angeles for the new movie “The Monuments
Men” together with co-stars Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Muray, John
Goodman and Bob Balan.
Under a leather jacket Clooney wore a black t-shirt with a picture of Tymoshenko’s face.
In 2011 Tymoshenko, the leader of Ukrainian opposition, has been put in jail for seven years for abuse of office. She is widely believed to be imprisoned as a result of a personal feud with President Viktor Yanukovych.
It’s not the first
time when Clooney shows solidarity with the Ukrainian opposition.
On Dec. 9, the Youtube channel of Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko posted a minute-long video in which Clooney addressed to the people of Ukraine with the words of support.
“We
(U.S.) have learned, through trial and error that true democracy cannot
exist without a free and fair and honest election. You cannot have a democracy
when you arrest and harm its peaceful protesters,” Clooney said then.
In his video message, Clooney denounced
the imprisonment of Tymoshenko.
Clooney, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in
the “Ocean’s” franchise, “Up in the Air” and “The Descendants” is no stranger to
international affairs either. He is not only a
liberal, but also a political newsmaker. Last year, he and his father were arrested near the Sudanese Embassy in Washington
D.C. while protesting the Sudanese government’s blockade of humanitarian aid to
its people.
Kyiv Post staff writer Nataliya Trach can be reached at [email protected]
