Who Is Vitalii Sediuk? Get the Details on the Notorious Hollywood Prankster Who Punched Brad Pitt

Ukrainian TV personality has gone after America Ferrera, Bradley Cooper, Adele, Will Smith and Madonna

By Zach Johnson May 29, 2014 1:01 PMTags
Vitalii SediukTerma/SL/O. Duran/Bruce/FAMEFLYNET

Vitalii Sediuk is persona non grata in Hollywood.

The Ukrainian prankster targeted Brad Pitt at Wednesday's Maleficent premiere, allegedly attacking Angelina Jolie's fiancé. Sediuk jumped over a barrier in an attempt to crash the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre. He then rushed at Pitt, touching the actor briefly before security guards wrestled him away. "This all went down behind the step and repeat while Angie was posing for the photographers," a source says.

Another eyewitness tells E! News that fans "went insane" as Pitt began signing autographs, saying, "It became completely chaotic and fans swarmed towards Brad." It was then that Sediuk lunged at Pitt. Fortunately, the World War Z star was able to brush the incident off and go about his business. "Fans were very grateful that Brad did not allow the drama to stop him from signing," the eyewitness says.

Police arrested Sediuk on the scene and took him into custody, where he was booked for battery.

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Pitt is the latest star to have his night nearly ruined by Sediuk. Earlier this month, the prankster caused a scene at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of How To Train Your Dragon 2, when he attempted to dive under the hem of America Ferrera's pale yellow Georges Hobeika Couture dress. "I don't even know what happened!" the voice actress told Vulture at a party following the red carpet premiere. "I feel something behind me, and there's this guy under my dress, and then two guys drag him away!"

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At January's 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in L.A., Sediuk wrapped his arms around an unsuspecting Bradley Cooper and nestled his face in the Silver Linings Playbook star's crotch. The movie star initially appeared to laugh off the gag as his American Hustle co-star Michael Peña and actor Mandy Patinkin looked on in disbelief. The two then helped pry Sediuk from the Cooper's legs.

Sediuk's antics have been going on for years, however.

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Jennifer Lopez successfully thwarted Sediuk's attempts to ruin Adele's acceptance speech for Best Solo Pop Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2013. "It's such an honor to receive this award," Seduik said from the podium before J.Lo intervened and cut him off. "I love you, Adele."

Sediuk was jailed overnight as a result. He was charged with one count of willfully leaving a spectator area and entering a performance area and one count of interfering and delaying program participants.

In May 2012, Seduik kissed Will Smith at Moscow's Men in Black 3 premiere. The visibly angry actor responded by shoving and slapping the TV star. "He's lucky I didn't sucker-punch him," Smith said.

During the Venice Film Festival in September 2011, the 1+1 presenter presented Madonna with her least favorite flowers. The singer was caught on camera rolling her eyes after she had graciously accepted the gift. Madonna was then overheard telling an assistant, "I absolutely loath Hydrangeas. He obviously doesn't know that." Thinking it was a genuine gesture, the Material Girl later apologized.

Over the years, The Los Angeles Times described Seduik's escapades as having "a sinister quality," while The Hollywood Reporter has called him "a shameless attention fiend and mischief-maker."

No doubt Pitt, Ferrera, Cooper, Adele and Smith would agree with those sentiments.