Featured Image Credit: Jampress
Topics: Will Smith
Anish Vij
A Will Smith lookalike reckons he's never been more in demand since the now infamous Oscar slap.
In arguably the most viral moment of the year, last month's moment saw Smith, 53, storm the stage to slap Chris Rock, 57, after a GI Jane 2 joke was made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia.
Shad Ellis, 43, from Bedford, Bedfordshire, says strangers are constantly stopping him in the street to discuss the incident.
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He has spent the past 25 years appearing at nightclubs, weddings and corporate events across the globe as a doppelgänger.
The performance artist, who charges at least £600 per appearance, is also having to deal with a lot of comments from strangers and friends alike – both in person and online.
"I get comments about it daily," Shad says. "When I'm at my day job people always ask me about it and point it out to me.
"I had a guy last week stop me to say how much I look like Will Smith.
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"We spoke for a bit and he ended the conversation by jokingly saying 'Don't slap me'.
"It's all in good humour."
Thankfully, people are mostly curious about the uncanny resemblance between the pair.
Shad works as a lookalike part-time, and although he won't share exactly how much he makes through his second job, it has allowed him to buy his first house aged just 21 and 'drive nice cars'.
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However, despite benefitting financially from the controversial moment, he 'doesn't condone violence' – but can see both sides of the argument.
Shad said: "[Giving] my thoughts, it was hard for me to comprehend what was happening.
"But after seeing the full situation pan out, I get it from both sides.
"I think we all as humans are capable of a flash point triggered by a raw emotion or feeling, and regardless of the situation, once you see red everything around you becomes blurred.
"I strongly disagree – he should [not] have slapped him, but how many of us do an action we immediately regret after doing it, driven by being caught in your feelings or the moment."
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Despite looking like Smith's twin, Shad is yet to meet the Oscar-winning actor in person.
He added: "I was set to work with him earlier this year as his body double on a project, but while I was there filming, news came in that he had to reschedule his part in the shoot.
"That was a bit gutting."