“In England, ballet is kind of closed. They are opening up a little bit, but it was always something not for the general public. So you don't get fame, like a football star or a film star. And if you don't get fame, you can't do other stuff.”

Russian ballet dancer, actor and model

Sergei Vladimirovich Polunin is a Russian ballet dancer, actor, and model. He has held Russian and Serbian citizenship and has said that he has always regarded himself as Russian. In 2025, he was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship. Polunin is best known for his work in ballet, along with appearances as an actor and model. His public identity has often been closely tied to nationality and to the international profile he built through performance.