Zelenskiy was born on January 25, 1978, in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih in the family of a professor of cybernetics.
He graduated from the Law Faculty of the Kryvyi Rih Economic Institute of the Kiev National Economic University, but has never practiced law.
READ MORE: Have a Deeper Look Into Presidential Election Process in Ukraine
During his studies, he was involved in the Homeless student theater of pop sketches and became interested in the KVN humor show (Club of the Funny and Inventive People).
In 1997, together with other young people, Zelenskiy created a KVN team named Kvartal 95 and became its captain, actor and author of most of the performances.
In 2003, Zelenskiy headed the Kvartal 95 studio in Ukraine, which was established on the basis of his KVN team. The studio is working to create television shows, musicals, films and writing scripts.
In 2006, Zelenskiy, together with two-time world champion in ballroom dancing Olena Shoptenko, took part in the Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars project and won the audience choice award. After the success in the project, Zelenskiy became one of the most sought after authors and hosts of TV programs.
In 2010-2012, he was a member of the board of directors of the Ukrainian Inter TV channel and was its general producer.
As an actor, he played the leading roles in many different comedies, such as The Three Musketeers (2005), Very New Year’s Movie, or a Night at the Museum (2007), Like Cossacks Did (2009), trilogy Love in the Big City (2009, 2010, 2014).
READ MORE: Ukrainians Feel Deceived, Disappointed by 'Maidan Revolution' — US Scholar
In 2011, Zelenskiy played in the movie "Office Romance. Our time" where he was also the script writer and producer. In 2012, he played Napoleon in the comedy Rzevski Against Napoleon.
On the New Year's Eve, Zelenskiy announced his intention to run for president. The Ukrainian 1+1 channel, owned by oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, broadcast his address instead of the president’s New Year’s speech. According to some media reports, Zelenskiy is a close associate of Kolomoyskyi.
On January 21, 2019, Zelenskiy’s party Servant of the People, the namesake of the show, nominated him as its candidate for the presidential election.
On January 30, the Ukrainian Central Election Commission registered him as a presidential candidate.
Zelenskiy’s declared income for 2017 amounted to 7.3 million hryvnia ($269,500), of which about 4.4 million hryvnia accounted for income from business activities and about 1.6 million hryvnia was his salary in Kvartal 95.
Zelenskiy is married, and has a son and a daughter.
