Hollywood's Support for Ukraine Goes Beyond Words

American actor Jesse Eisenberg has become the latest Hollywood figure to support Ukraine not only through public statements but by witnessing the reality of Russia's war firsthand. During a humanitarian visit to the Lviv region, he was in Ukraine when Russia launched its large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on 30 July, with Lviv among the cities targeted. Forced to spend the night in a bomb shelter, Eisenberg later reflected on the experience, saying it profoundly changed his perspective and gave him a deeper understanding of what Ukrainians have endured every day for years.

A Night in the Shelter

Eisenberg travelled to Ukraine as a volunteer with Campfire, a programme that provides psychological support for children affected by the war. While staying at a summer camp in the Lviv region, he spent time with children, took part in creative activities and helped organise the camp's daily programme. During his visit, Russia carried out one of its largest combined missile and drone attacks in recent months, striking Kyiv, Lviv and several other Ukrainian cities.

In the middle of the night, air raid sirens woke the actor, forcing him and the rest of the humanitarian team to take shelter as the attack unfolded. Looking back on the experience, Eisenberg admitted that witnessing the consequences of the strike left a lasting impression on him.

"It breaks my heart."

Addressing an American audience, he urged people to imagine what it would be like if similar attacks happened every night in one of the United States' largest cities.

"Imagine if New York was bombed every night."

Eisenberg said that only after witnessing the aftermath of the attack did he fully grasp what millions of Ukrainians have been living with every day. For people across the country, nights interrupted by air raid sirens, hours spent in shelters and the sound of explosions have become part of everyday life.

Hollywood Has Been Standing with Ukraine for More Than Four Years

Jesse Eisenberg is far from the first international celebrity to travel to Ukraine despite the war. Over the more than four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, dozens of Hollywood actors, directors, musicians and television personalities have visited the country. They have travelled to liberated towns, visited children's hospitals and frontline communities, met Ukrainian service members, volunteers and civilians, worked alongside humanitarian organisations, and used their global platforms to draw international attention to Russia's war against Ukraine.

For many, these visits have become an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off gesture. Sean Penn has returned to Ukraine on multiple occasions while documenting the war in his Academy Award-nominated documentary Superpower. Angelina Jolie revisited the country after her first trip to Lviv, travelling to frontline regions to meet doctors, humanitarian workers and families living under constant threat of Russian attacks. Liev Schreiber has become one of the most active international ambassadors for Ukrainian humanitarian initiatives, while Orlando Bloom, Ben Stiller, Jessica Chastain, Misha Collins, Michael Douglas and many other public figures have also travelled to Ukraine in person. Some experienced air raid alerts during their visits, while others carried out their humanitarian missions in areas facing an ongoing threat of Russian missile and drone strikes.

Although their missions have varied—from humanitarian work and fundraising to documenting the consequences of the war and advocating for continued international support—they all share one common purpose: to stand with Ukraine, witness the realities of the war firsthand and ensure that the world does not look away.

They Witnessed the War Firsthand

For many international celebrities, travelling to Ukraine became far more than a symbolic show of solidarity. Their visits offered a rare opportunity to witness the consequences of Russia's war with their own eyes and to amplify Ukrainian voices on the global stage.

Angelina Jolie was among the first Hollywood stars to visit Ukraine after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. In April 2022, she travelled to Lviv, where she met children affected by the war, spoke with internally displaced families at the city's railway station, and visited volunteers and medical workers. During her stay, air raid sirens forced Jolie and her team to interrupt the visit and seek shelter.

Her support did not end there. In November 2025, Jolie returned to Ukraine, visiting the frontline regions of Mykolaiv and Kherson. She met doctors, humanitarian workers, soldiers and families living under constant Russian attacks, visited hospitals and underground schools, and listened to the stories of communities that continue to endure the daily realities of war. Parts of her journey were adjusted because of the threat of Russian drone attacks, highlighting the security risks that remain even during humanitarian missions.

Reflecting on the visit, Jolie praised the resilience of Ukrainians.

"The people of Mykolaiv and Kherson live with danger every day, but they refuse to give in."

Returning Again and Again

Sean Penn remains one of Ukraine's most committed international supporters. He was in Kyiv on the first day of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, filming what would later become the documentary Superpower. After leaving the country during the first days of the invasion, Penn continued to return to Ukraine, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visiting frontline areas and speaking publicly about the need for sustained international support.

In November 2022, Penn presented one of his Academy Awards to President Zelenskyy as a symbol of his belief in Ukraine's victory.

"This is for you. It's just a symbolic silly thing. When you win, bring it back to Malibu."

His commitment continued well beyond the first years of the war. In March 2026, Penn skipped the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, where he received his third Oscar for One Battle After Another, and travelled to Kyiv instead. During the visit, Ukrainian Railways presented him with a symbolic Oscar made from the metal of a railway carriage damaged in a Russian missile strike, recognising both his cinematic achievement and his unwavering support for Ukraine.

American actor Liev Schreiber, whose family has Ukrainian roots, has also become one of the country's most active international advocates. Since 2022, he has repeatedly travelled to Ukraine, visiting Bucha, Borodianka and other communities affected by Russian occupation. As an ambassador for the UNITED24 fundraising platform and through his organisation BlueCheck Ukraine, Schreiber continues to support humanitarian projects, including medical assistance, evacuation efforts and mental health programmes.

From Children's Hospitals to Frontline Communities

Many other Hollywood figures have chosen to support Ukraine through personal visits rather than public statements alone.

As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Ben Stiller travelled to Kyiv, Irpin and Makariv in June 2022 to meet displaced Ukrainians and witness the humanitarian consequences of the war. During his visit, he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and told him:

"You're my hero."

Orlando Bloom, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, returned to Ukraine in 2023 after first visiting the country in 2016. During his latest trip, he met children, teachers and psychologists in Kyiv and Irpin, calling on the international community not to forget the youngest victims of the war.

"Children in Ukraine need peace. They need safety. They need a chance to simply be children."

Jessica Chastain visited Kyiv and the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital, where she met young patients and medical staff. Misha Collins has made several visits as a UNITED24 ambassador, supporting fundraising campaigns, visiting Ukrainian service members and meeting children affected by the war.

Other well-known visitors have included Michael Douglas, Bear Grylls, Richard Branson, members of The Rasmus, Within Temptation vocalist Sharon den Adel, broadcaster Michael Palin, filmmaker Samuel Bayer and many others. Some came to document the consequences of Russia's invasion, while others helped raise humanitarian aid, supported Ukrainian charities or used their international influence to keep global attention focused on Ukraine.

For some, these visits unfolded against the backdrop of air raid sirens and missile threats. Like Jesse Eisenberg, many discovered that in Ukraine, even humanitarian missions can quickly become a reminder of the realities of a country living through Europe's largest war since the Second World War.

Hollywood's Support Continues

The list of international public figures who have travelled to Ukraine has continued to grow since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. While their visits have varied in purpose, they share a common goal: keeping global attention focused on Ukraine and demonstrating solidarity not only through words, but through personal presence.

Some arrived as ambassadors for international organisations, while others came independently to meet Ukrainians living through the war. They visited children's hospitals, rehabilitation centres, frontline communities and towns liberated from Russian occupation. Many later used their public platforms to advocate for continued military, humanitarian and financial support for Ukraine.

Several celebrities have also become long-term partners of Ukrainian initiatives. Liev Schreiber and Misha Collins joined the UNITED24 fundraising platform as ambassadors, helping raise millions of dollars for humanitarian and recovery projects. Sean Penn has continued to speak publicly about Ukraine in international media and at major public events, while Angelina Jolie, Orlando Bloom and Ben Stiller have repeatedly drawn attention to the humanitarian consequences of Russia's invasion through their work with international organisations.

Musicians have also played an important role. The Finnish rock band The Rasmus has performed in Ukraine and supported fundraising campaigns for children's hospitals. Sharon den Adel, the lead vocalist of Within Temptation, has visited the country several times, met Ukrainian musicians and civilians, and used the band's international audience to campaign for continued support. British adventurer Bear Grylls travelled to Ukraine to film a documentary highlighting the resilience of Ukrainians, while actor Michael Douglas visited Kyiv in 2025 to meet government officials, students and young leaders.

For many of these public figures, travelling to Ukraine has meant accepting real security risks. Air raid sirens, missile threats and disrupted travel plans have become part of humanitarian missions that, in many other countries, would be considered routine. Jesse Eisenberg's experience in Lviv is the latest reminder that international visitors are not shielded from the realities of Russia's war.