Kunis reveals why she used to tell people she was Russian and that she now tells her kids with Ashton Kutcher about their origins.
Mila Kunis opens up about her Ukrainian roots in a new interview with Maria Shriver, sharing her perspective on the ongoing Russian invasion and newfound pride in her homeland.
Kunis was born in the city of Chernivtsi in southwestern Ukraine in 1983, and seven years later she and her family immigrated to the United States. She’s been here ever since, and because she moved here so young, she explained that she always felt more “LA” than Eastern European.
“I was born in Ukraine. I came to the States in 1991 with my family, and we were the last of my family to migrate,” she explains to Shriver in a preview of their upcoming Talk Above the Noise interview for Maria’s Sunday paper. Newsletter. Revealing that many of her family members who were placed in concentration and labor camps during World War II “migrated” after the war, Kunis said her family eventually moved to Los Angeles.
“So when we came to the States, I was 7 1/2, 8 years old. I have always felt like an American. People said, “Oh, you’re such an Eastern European.” I thought, “I’m so Los Angeles! What do you mean?” I’ve been Los Angeles all my life, through and through,” Kunis continued.
“And then this happens – mind you, we have friends in Ukraine, Ash and I went and met Zelensky three and a half years ago, I was there, but I always considered myself very American,” she came. “It happens, and I can’t express or explain what came over me, but suddenly I thought: “My God, it seems to me that part of my heart has just been torn out.” It was the strangest feeling.”
Kunis said she still has many friends in the area and contacts them regularly.
She went on to talk about how an event like this made her more in touch with and proud of her roots, and made sure her children with Ashton Kutcher, Wyatt and Dimitri also embraced their lineage.
“I turned to my children and said: “You are half Ukrainian, half American!” Like, I’m literally like, “Look, you!” And my children are like, “Yes, mom, I understand.” And I’m like, “No! You are Ukrainian and American.” I’m like, “You’re half Iowa, half Ukraine.” And they’re like, “Okay, I get it,” she explained to Shriver.
“This feeling of pride, and it does not detract from the love for the place where I now live, and for everything that this country has given me, but it did not matter to me that I was from Ukraine. It never mattered,” she continued. “So much so that I always said I was Russian, right? As always, I am from Russia for many reasons.”
“One of them: when I came to the States and told people that I was from Ukraine, the first question I got was: “Where is Ukraine?” Then I had to explain to Ukraine where it is on the map, and I thought it was tiring, ”Kunis explained. “But if I said that I am from Russia, they would say: “Oh, we know this country.” Instantly people said, “I know that red dot.” So I’m like, “Great, I’ll just tell people I’m from Russia. Well, hell no, I’m from Ukraine. Everything has changed!”
Shriver ends the interview by asking Kunis what she would like more people to know, understand, or be open to the unfolding situation. Although she is from Ukraine, Kunis also wanted to make sure people also show some sympathy for those in Russia who have nothing to do with and oppose the ongoing invasion.
“I don’t think we need to consider the people of Russia as an enemy. I really want to emphasize this. I don’t think it’s been talked about enough in the press. you are not with us, you are against our mentality. And I don’t want people to confuse the two issues that are happening,” she told Shriver. “I don’t think it’s the people of Russia. I don’t want it to be something like “All Russians are terrible people, I don’t want this to be rhetoric.” I urge people to look at it from the point of view: “These are the people in power, not the people themselves.”
She also urged viewers not to be distracted by some shiny new business or to dedicate their entire existence to trying to resolve this crisis.
“I urge people not to look at another problem tomorrow, but to look for other problems or distractions. I think we live in an incredible country, especially in America, where we are doing well, ”she said. “Everyone still goes to concerts, movies and award ceremonies, and I think that’s fine. Life must go on, life must move on, we must all do something to have a purpose.”
“But I encourage people to stay on top of the news… to sacrifice their time, to sacrifice their voice. Don’t start confusing the situation in Ukraine with other problems in the world.
“Like everyone, people just have to focus on what is at hand right now, and right now this problem could become incredibly disastrous for the rest of the world – not just for this part of the world, and I don’t want people to lose sight of it.” “, she concluded. “This problem does not remain only in the Eastern Bloc, this problem affects the rest of the world economically and in other ways.”
Last week, Kunis and Kutcher announced the GoFundMe “Stand With Ukraine” campaign to raise $30 million for Flexport.org and Airbnb.org to help refugees flee their home country amid the conflict with Russia.
In an effort to boost donations, Kunis and Kutcher also pledged to double their donations to $3 million. So far, nearly $20,500,000 has been raised for the case.
Shriver’s full interview with Kunis will be released on Sunday, March 13th.