Famous People Who Are Banned From Russia

Actor Ben Stiller is chiefly known for his many beloved comedic roles in movies like "Meet the Parents," "Tropic Thunder," and "Night at the Museum," per IMDb. While Stiller has also appeared in a handful of decidedly serious roles, it was his interaction with another comedic actor — or former comedic actor, to be precise — that got him banned from Russia. That former actor is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, and a man who has proved himself to be a bold and worthy adversary in the face of Russia's invasion of that sovereign nation.

Per Newsweek,, Ben Stiller has recently been permanently barred from Russia. This penalty comes following a June 2022 trip to Ukraine. Stiller was in Ukraine as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and not only met with Ukraine's president but also with many other Ukrainian citizens affected by the war. In a video (cia CBS News), when meeting with Zelenskyy, Stiller told him, "You're my hero. What you've done and the way that you've rallied the country and for the world, it's really inspiring."

Veteran actor Sean Penn has been known to put himself in some pretty extreme roles on screen, such as in the films "I am Sam," "Dead Man Walking," and "Milk," per IMDb. But Penn is almost as well known for his work as an actor as he is for his off-screen exploits and activism, which are often easy to conflate. For example, Penn traveled to Mexico in 2015 to interview the notorious and violent drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, an trip that might have gotten Penn killed, as reported by the New York Post – and that did little to remedy the war on drugs.

When it comes to Russia and Ukraine, at least Penn's heart was in the right place, namely with Ukraine. Per Newsweek's reporting, Penn went to Ukraine to help make a documentary all about the illegal and devastating Russian invasion. During his time there, he met with Ukrainian officials and citizens and, at one point, said he was considering "taking up arms against Russia," per IndieWire. Ironically, Penn had been in Ukraine even prior to the Russian invasion — his film, made with Vice Studios, was intended to be about Ukrainian politics, but obviously history (or, in this case, Vladimir Putin), had other plans. 

Sen. Mark Kelly not only has the honor of being the other U.S. senator from Arizona alongside his fellow Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, but he also has the honor of also being banned from Russia, like she is. It's little wonder why Kelly, a former astronaut who has spent quite a bit of time soaring over Russia, has been banned from the Russian Federation's territory. Per AZ Central, Kelly has been absolutely outspoken in support of Ukraine and against Russia, saying, among other things, that Vladimir Putin is a "war criminal" because of his launching an assault against Ukraine. Perhaps it was Kelly's long naval career, which began before the end of the Cold War, that also helped inform his sentiments on Russia.

Kelly's work with the Armed Services Committee has brought together both political parties and military leaders to get supplies and weapons to Ukraine. He said, "If that earned me a sanction by the Kremlin, then that means we're doing something right." 

Throughout her life, Hillary Clinton has been known as many things. She has been a first lady, a United States senator, the secretary of state, an activist, a lawyer, a wife, a mother, a lightning rod for some, a beacon of hope to others and, as she has shown time and time again, possessing a sharp wit, too. This was on full display when Clinton replied to news of her ban from Russia with a post on Twitter from mid-March of 2022 that read: "I want to thank the Russian Academy for this Lifetime Achievement Award." In just 12 short words, she made a mockery of the Kremlin and doubled down on her support for the nation and people of Ukraine.

Clinton's ban came as many other prominent Americans were barred back in March, as per NPR, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine was still in its early days, and it looked like Russian troops were winning. In an official statement as the bans went into place, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in part: "This step, taken as a response measure, is the inevitable result of the extreme Russophobic policy of the current U.S. Administration, which, in a desperate attempt to maintain American hegemony, has abandoned any sense of decorum and placed its bets on the head-on containment of Russia." Never mind the fact that Hillary Clinton was in no way involved with said "current U.S. Administration."

Always the impressive trendsetter, Lady Gaga was banned from Russia long before the 2022 crop. In fact, the performer has been banned from Russia for more than a decade now, per Daily News. And joining her in that ban are fellow performers Madonna and Selena Gomez. All three women were declared unwelcome in the Russian Federation for the same reason: They outspokenly supported LGBTQ rights. 

Per 2012 reporting from Reuters, Lady Gaga was warned against open support for gay rights while she was in St. Petersburg to perform —  she was told via word passed to her managers that she would face possible fines equaling $50,000 or even potential arrest if she openly spoke in support of the LGBTQ community and their rights while in Russia.

Not one to be cowed easily, during her show in St. Petersburg, per ABC News, Lady Gaga proudly said at one point: "Tonight, this is my house Russia. You can be gay in my house!" As no swift action was taken against the singer, and she left the country unmolested by authorities, Russian lawmakers later concocted a bogus charge against her, stating that she had technically violated the terms of her visa while in their country. As Gaga had entered Russia using what were technically tourist visas, there was no right to work, i.e. to perform, the officials said. This was used as the premise for a ban, though it was clear to all that it was a sham of a reason.

After a long, respectable life that included a distinguished career as a naval aviator, over five years spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, a brief stint as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a very long time as U.S. senator, a run for high office, and a brave but losing battle against brain cancer, John McCain died at the age of 81 on August 25, 2018, per AZ Central. Evidently no one informed the Kremlin of this public figure's very well-documented death, because in 2022 McCain's name appeared on a list of Americans banned from entering Russia.

According to Business Insider, McCain had drawn the ire of Russia after becoming an outspoken critic of Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, not to mention its occupation of land at the east of Ukraine that is currently a flashpoint for combat. The fact that he had died years before the ban was not mentioned anywhere, so it's not clear if his inclusion was an outright error or some sort of political statement. And though he is indeed deceased, McCain deserves some credit for his foresight; back in 2014, during an NPR interview granted in light of then recent Russian action, he said of Russia, "I think we have to change our whole relationship with Vladimir Putin instead of one of reset ... realizing he is what he is, a KGB colonel that is committed to the restoration of the Russian empire."

Perhaps it's little surprise that the leader of the de facto No. 1 nemesis of the Russian Federation, namely the United States of America, has been banned from entering Russia. According to CNBC, President Joe Biden was at the top of the list of Americans banned. Also added to the list was Biden's son, Hunter Biden, along with many members of the Biden White House and other lawmakers. Prominently not placed on any list banning Americans from entering Russian territory is ex-president Donald Trump, which is hardly a surprise given that man's long and complicated history with Russia and his relationship with Vladimir Putin personally. 

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "Russian counter-sanctions are of a forced nature and are aimed at forcing the ruling American regime to change its behavior." Speaking on behalf of the White House, then-press secretary Jen Psaki discounted the sanction as being nothing to worry about due to Biden and others having no ties to Russia, like planned trips or banking accounts. "We will forge ahead," she said (via NPR).