Did you know that Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy was already a big celebrity in Russia even before he became president?

This was revealed by David Dodson, an old friend of Zelenskyy, during an interview for the latest tissue of People Magazine in Los Angeles. 

Dobson says Zelenskyy is an actor who knows how to relate to people and tap into their emotions.

"There's nothing wooden about him. He's the real deal, and his defiance and fighting spirit are inspiring not just Ukranians but the world," said Dodson, in an article "If we win…this will be the victory of light over darkness" written by Sandra Sobieraj Westfall with additional reports from Diane Herbst, Susan Katz Keating and Aaron Parsley, for the March 21 issue of People Magazine.

Here are 19 interesting facts about Ukraine's charismatic and brave leader, as told by Dobson to People:

1)  Zelenskyy is not a tall guy - like 5'6" or actually 5'3"

2) He is 44 years old

3) Zelenskyy was a former actor

4) Aside from Volodya, friends also call him Vova

5) Zelenskyy grew up speaking Russian.

6) He studied to be a lawyer before changing tack.

7) Zelenskyy formed a sketch-comedy troupe called Kvartal 95 with some high school friends. Later it evolved into a production company.

8) The Ukrainian president is married to Olena Kiyashko who later took her husband's surname with the feminine variation Zelenska.

9) The couple have two children - daughter Aleksandra, 19; and son Kiril, 9.

10) Zelenskyy and Zelenska were a couple for eight years before they tied the knot in 2003.

11) The couple are kind and playful to each other.

12) Zelenskyy and his daughter appeared together in a movie called "8 New Dates" in 2014.

13) In 'Servant of the People,' Zelenskyy plays a populist school-teacher that was elected president.

14) Netflix has picked up his sitcom 'Servant of the People' in 2016.

15) 'Servant of the People' made Zelenskyy a superstar in Russia and Ukraine.

16) He is also known as the 'Tom Hanks of Ukraine.'

17) Zelenskyy has done more than a dozen movies which were shot either in Russia or Ukraine.

18) He named his political party "Servant of the People" and claimed a 73 percent landslide in April 2019.

19) Zelenska reveals she was not too happy when her husband ran for president.