Ukrainian Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevych Gifts Ben Stiller a Vyshyvanka

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych recently met with renowned American actor Ben Stiller and gifted him a black-and-white vyshyvanka .

The athlete shared the moment on his Instagram account on March 30.

Heraskevych, who grew up watching Stiller’s films, reflected on the importance of the actor’s work in his life.

“A great number of incredible movies that shaped us, brought smiles to our faces, and supported us in difficult moments,” the skeleton racer said.

The athlete also shared that during the 2026 Winter Olympics, amidst the challenges of the competition week, he watched one of Stiller’s films.

Heraskevych also expressed his gratitude for the support Stiller showed, particularly during the scandal surrounding his disqualification from the Olympics.

“In those days, when all the chaos surrounding the scandal was unfolding, it meant the world to me to see support from this legendary actor, and I am deeply grateful to him for that,” Heraskevych explained.

Ben Stiller, reflecting on the meeting, shared his admiration for Heraskevych, saying “Proud to meet this guy in person. I’ve been inspired by Vladyslav since the moment he refused to stay silent.”

This is not the first time Ben Stiller has shown his solidarity with Ukraine. Following a public exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in March 2025, Stiller expressed his support by posting an emoji of the Ukrainian flag on X.

Apart from Stiller, actor and filmmaker Sean Penn also drew attention with his decision to skip the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on March 16, where he was set to receive his third Oscar. Instead, Penn chose to travel to Kyiv, reaffirming his strong support for Ukraine.

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Upon his arrival, Penn met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who expressed gratitude for the actor's unwavering commitment to Ukraine.

“Thanks to you, Sean, we know what it means to be a true friend of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, acknowledging Penn’s dedication since the onset of the full-scale invasion. “You have stood with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. And today as well. And we know that you will continue to stand with our country and our people,” the president added.

Reports indicate that although he was expected to attend the Academy Awards and accept his Oscar for One Battle After Another, Penn chose to prioritize his visit to Ukraine instead.

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