Katheryn Winnick

Canadian actress, film star, director and producer, Katheryn Winnick, has Ukrainian roots and a fascinating family history. Her parents are descended from Ukrainian immigrants who moved to Germany while trying to flee the Soviet government, and later emigrated to Canada. Her maternal grandparents were born in Halychyna. Meanwhile, her paternal grandfather joined the ranks of the Sich Riflemen — and even pretended to be two years older than he really was to be eligible for service.

Katheryn Winnick has been nurturing her Ukrainian roots since childhood: until eight years old she spoke exclusively in Ukrainian, went to a Ukrainian Sunday school in Toronto, and was a scout. On the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, Winnick visited her ancestral homeland. 

On the 24th of February 2022, the actress voiced her support towards Ukrainians on all of her social media: “We are a peaceful nation. We do not deserve this war.” Already in March 2022, Winnick and her mother have created The Winnick Foundation, a charity organization that raises funds for Ukraine’s needs. The next step in her journey was her involvement with UNITED24. The actress, who is the first Canadian ambassador of the platform, promotes the Rebuild Ukraine program.