Steven Seagal — actor with roots in the Russian Federation
Steven Seagal is an American actor, martial artist, and producer whose action films Above the Law, Under Siege, and Hard to Kill made him one of the biggest action stars of the 1980s and 1990s. He obtained Russian citizenship in 2016 and was appointed as Russia's Special Representative to the US for humanitarian ties.
Tracing the roots — Russian ancestry
Seagal has claimed Russian Cossack ancestry on his paternal side. Whatever the accuracy of this claim, he obtained Russian citizenship from Vladimir Putin in 2016 — becoming one of the few American celebrities to become a Russian citizen. His embrace of Russian identity and his pro-Putin political positions have made him a controversial figure bridging American entertainment and Russian politics.
Received Russian passport, pro-Russia stance.[web:63]
Russian ancestry. Today, the former Soviet space comprises fifteen sovereign independent states.