Once again, David Letterman is taking his talents as an interviewer to a new level in a special episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. While in his last season of the show he interviewed entertainers and athletes like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Durant, in this new one-off event, the former late-night host sits down in a one-on-one discussion with the esteemed president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Titled My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the special airs on Netflix December 12.
Coinciding with Time’s recent announcement that Zelenskyy is their 2022 Person of the Year, Netflix debuted a clip of this special conversation that is nothing short of intriguing. Check out the clip for yourself below.
As echoed in the video, the interview was recorded in October 2022, roughly nine months into the current Russian/Ukrainian conflict. While Letterman certainly has experience speaking with political leaders (such as former US presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden), he can say this was the first time that he's had to speak with a politician while a country was being attacked by a neighboring nation. On that note, we should reemphasize that the interview took place in one of the safest parts of the Ukrainian city Kyiv, "200 feet underground on an active subway platform."
While the full gambit of what Letterman and Zelenskyy discuss is being kept under wraps, it would be hard to imagine the two don't take a deep dive into what the people of Ukraine are experiencing as of late and how he's managed to lead under such difficult times. However, given both men have their roots in comedy, they very well could find a few appropriate moments of levity when they can.
Prior to his election as the president of Ukraine in 2019, Zelenskyy was in the entertainment industry as a comedian and actor. In fact, Netflix subscribers can watch his all three seasons of his TV series, Servant of the People right now. The comedy follows a man who leaves his current profession for a life in politics.
Also, you may find it surprising to know that in the Ukrainian dubbed versions of Paddington and Paddington 2, the then-actor actually served as the voice behind Paddington Bear. Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville was certainly shocked to hear the news.
Be sure to watch My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Netflix when it starts streaming on December 12.
