A teenage schoolboy has admitted he didn’t recognise Angelina Jolie when she walked into a cafe while he was having a snack in war-ravaged Ukraine last week.
Julian, 14, was wearing his headphones when Jolie entered the Lviv eatery, and despite others approaching the actress for autographs, he didn’t so much as look up from his phone, much to the delight of Twitter.
Jolie, who is a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, made a surprise visit to the western Ukrainian city on Saturday (30 April), where she visited an orphanage.
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Julian was listening to music and checking social media when the A-lister strolled inside, and in true teenager fashion, remained glued to his device despite being inches from one of the most famous people on the planet.
Speaking to 1+1 Ukrainian TV, Julian later explained: “I sat at the table, overheard that someone was speaking English, and thought it was some American Instagram celebrity.
“So I realised that it was some celebrity, but did not figure out who it was. In reality she is very beautiful, and in the movies, you know, [she has] so much makeup that you won't recognise her.”
Julian revealed it wasn’t until he got home and was shown a video of the moment by his mum that he realised exactly who had walked into the cafe.
“When I got home, my mum showed me a video, which our neighbour shared with her, and I was already popular,” the teen explained.
“It was like a waking dream. All seemingly real, but as if also you can wake up and everything disappears.”
Twitter was delighted by Julian’s nonchalant response, with one person tweeting: “The lad at the table takes cool to a whole new level.”
Another quipped: “When you’re born in the 2010s and you don’t know who Angelina Jolie is,” while a third wrote: “So cute how the kid is watching his phone, oblivious of her. So typical of kids.”
A fourth social media user added: “Kid missing Angelina Jolie due to being absorbed by cellphone. Modern society on display.”
Other comments included: “That kid is completely oblivious, fantastic,” and: “Gotta love the kid so absorbed that he doesn't notice.”
Footage of Jolie's cafe visit has since been widely shared on social media, with the star appearing to greet fans as she entered the coffee shop.
According to MailOnline, officials were unaware Jolie would be visiting the orphanage outside Lviv.
The actress – who arrived in Ukraine on Saturday and is thought to have left on Sunday night – also stopped by a hospital and spoke to fleeing refugees at a nearby train station.
Of her visit, she said in a statement: “I’m humbled to witness the resilience and courage and dignity of the Ukrainian people. The impact the war is having on a generation of Ukrainian children is devastating to see.”
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, Angelina Jolie
Aisha Nozari