Mikhail Gorbachev's acting cameo from the 90s resurfaces following his demise; Watch here

Shortly after the demise of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet Union President who also led the end of the Cold War in 1991, the short clip of Russia’s pariah starring in a Pizza Hut commercial resurfaced on social media. Known for redirecting the course of the Soviet Union in the 20th century with a series of reforms, Gorbachev died at 91 following a prolonged illness. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and six years later, the prominent leader was seen in a Pizza Hut commercial in 1997.

The Pizza Hut advertisement was broadcasted across the world except in Russia, where he remained unpopular for several years for heading the Soviet Union into collapse. Remarkably, the commercial was shot in Red Square in Moscow, Russia’s capital. However, following the announcement of his death, the short clip from the 90s is again making rounds on social media. In the clip, Gorbachev enters a Pizza Hut restaurant prompting others to react swiftly. 

Two diners, in the clip, start a discussion about Gorbachev’s tenure and talked about whether or not his tenure was beneficial for the Soviet Union. While one of the diners argues that the last Soviet Union leader gave them “opportunity” and “freedom”, another strikes back saying Gorbachev gave the people “economic confusion” and “political instability”. 

Meanwhile, the advertisement shows another diner at Pizza Hut interrupting the two talking about Gorbachev to say, “because of him, we have many things—like Pizza Hut”. This remark appears to bring all diners on the same page as they exclaim, “Hail to Gorbachev!”

Here’s the Pizza Hut ad starring Gorbachev;

Russia’s pariah Mikhail Gorbachev dies at 91

Mikhail Gorbachev, who entered the Soviet Union at a time when the country was an immovable power against the United States and changed the entire scenario with several reforms, died on Tuesday at the age of 91. 

Notably, under his leadership of the Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall crumbled, and millions of prisoners of war were released. With his swift emergence as an influential leader on the global stage, by 1990, he had won the Nobel Prize for his “leading role” in ending the Cold War and stemming nuclear tensions which was a constant worry of the world that witnessed the geopolitical tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc.

Image: AP