From Actor And Hypnotherapist To Green Party Leader, Meet Zack Polanski

If you hadn't heard of Zack Polanski until 2 September when he won the Green Party leadership contest, then you've got a lot of catching up to do.
The self-titled 'eco-populist' hopes to broaden the party's appeal and prove they represent more than climate activism. After his sweeping victory with 85% of member votes, beating the joint ticket of Green MPs Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, Polanksi's message is clearly one that resonates.
He's already declared that he wants to see Green win more than 30 seats at the next election, saying it is 'time to be really ambitious, and to be visionary'. Addressing the membership he then said: 'I promise you nothing will make you feel more inspired, more ready to get out there and more like we can turn our country around than joining the Green party.'
But who is Zack Polanski? And is it true he was an actor before he got into politics? Here's the low down.
Zack Polanski is the leader of the Green Party as of September 2025. He was born David Paulden, but changed his name when he turned 18 to his grandfather's original surname to honour his Jewish heritage. His family had previously changed their name to Paulden to avoid antisemitism.
Polanski grew up in Salford and attended a grammar school before attending a comprehensive college. He then went to university in Wales and later the US.
He currently lives in Hackney in east London with his partner, who works in palliative care. Polanski is gay and thanked his partner in his victory speech.
Zack Polanski is 42 years old.
Polanski says he wants the party to focus on 'redistributing wealth, funding public services, and calling out the genocide in Gaza'. He hopes the Greens will stand for environmental, social, racial and economic justice.
He joined the Liberal Democrats as a north London councillor in 2015 and became an assembly candidate the following year.
In 2017, he switched to the Green Party and was elected a member of the London Assembly in 2021. In 2022, he became the deputy leader of the Greens and was re-elected to the London Assembly in 2024.
Yes, prior to his career in politics, Polanski worked with the theatre company DifferenceENGINE as an immersive theatre actor and performed in The Hollow Hotel, The People's Revolt and in the Peaky Blinders immersive theatre experience.
He later taught at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts and the National Centre for Circus Arts. The Green Party leader also sang for the London International Gospel Choir.
Yes, he also used to work as a hypnotherapist. In 2013, an incognito reporter for The Sun requested a session to increase her breast size and body image self-confidence for an article. Polanski did the session without charge and featured in the article.
He later said the article did not accurately reflect the situation and apologised for his involvement.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).
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