What do celebrities and populists have in common? From Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky to Silvio Berlusconi, Javier Milei, Fidias Panayiotou, and Miroslav Škoro, this book argues that celebrity populism is not a political anomaly but a defining feature of contemporary democracy. It offers the first integrated framework for understanding how celebrity culture, entertainment and populist politics have merged to reshape political communication worldwide. Through the key strategies of authenticity, humor, fictionalization, and disruption, it explains how celebrity populists mobilize audiences and voters, strategically build political fandoms and transform the practice of democratic politics.

Marijana Grbeša is Full Professor in the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia. She has received numerous academic and professional awards for her research in media, political communication, celebrity politics, and populism, including the Fulbright fellowship.

Silvija Vuković is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia. Her research examines political communication, with a particular focus on entertainment, celebrity politics, AI, and synthetic politics.

Berto Šalaj is Full Professor in the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia. He is one of the leading scholars of democracy, populism, political culture, social capital, civil society, and political education in the region. His scholarly work and engagement with civil society have played an important role in shaping public policy in Croatia.