Post by sparklingblue on Jan 24, 2004 18:04:16 GMT -5
From the BBC
Lucrative lookalikes
You don't have to be a supermodel for your face to be your fortune.
Growing numbers of people are doing very nicely simply because they happen to look like someone famous.
Lookalikes are nothing new but the UK's current obsession with celebrity means they're in great demand.
And it's not just the Hollywood megastars like Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts.
If you bear more than a passing resemblance to David Dickinson, the runners from the 118118 adverts or Dorien from Birds of a Feather, you could be on to a nice little earner.
Serious money
For some years, Douglas James has been making a good living as Bond star Pierce Brosnan.
He's taken part in airshows, adverts, films and even starred in a TV series about lookalikes.
He's a good example of how serious a business this industry has become.
He does skydiving, skiing, scuba diving and stunt driving - even his phone numbers end in 007.
Favourites
He also runs an agency, Lookalikes, with hundreds of doppelgangers on its books.
There's the Fawltys, a handful of EastEnders, the Osbourne family, Anne Robinson and Rolf Harris.
And it's not all showbiz; you can also hire the Blairs, Churchill and several Royals.
Anytime someone wants to do a promotion and they can't afford the real item, they can come to a celebrity lookalike agency and book one of our artists," says Douglas.
One of the current favourites is David Beckham.
There are at least half a dozen people making money from their resemblance to the England football captain.
Full package
It takes a bit of work. They have to keep up with the latest hairstyles and changes in football kit.
But the rewards can be high. Fees of several hundred pounds a day are common for personal appearances; sometimes it can rise to a few thousand.
They're often paired up with Victoria Beckhams - one couple have even got together in real life.
Another favourite is Del Boy Trotter. Former lorry driver Stephan Feix is one of several doubles, and one of the best.
He has a full wardrobe and even owns a Robin Reliant. Clients can even book him with a Rodney and an Uncle Albert for the full set.
Douglas explains: "Looking like the character is only one element. They do have to put across the whole thing.
"If he didn't have his props with him - because Del's always on the mobile phone - he wouldn't do the act and you wouldn't really buy it."
Changes
"It's better than truck driving," says Stephan. "It's about £200 an hour for a minimum of two hours."
Del Boy is unusual among lookalikes in that he has also perfected the voice.
Some people might have a striking resemblance to a star or character, but once they open their mouths, the likeness is diminished.
A very good Whoopi Goldberg is actually French and doesn't speak very good English.
It can also be a fickle market. Will David Brent still be in demand in six months' time now The Office has ended its days?
Agencies must be alert to changes in popular culture and be on the lookout for people who they think could soon be in big demand.
They must also be aware of national preferences. A Mr Bean lookalike does very well because the character is so popular in Germany.
"We keep every picture people send us because you never know when a celebrity will come into fashion," says Douglas.
"But we would never do anything detrimental to anybody living or dead."
Identical
Like any growth industry, there are a variety of companies operating in this sector.
A quick search of the internet will show how many agencies are in competition.
Some have hundreds on their books, others perhaps just themselves and one or two others.
They say that everyone has an identical double somewhere.
If yours happens to be famous, it could be the key to a surprisingly good lifestyle.
That, of course, is if your celebrity stays in fashion for a while...
***
Be sure to check out the pics. That guys looks so not like Pierce imho.
Lucrative lookalikes
You don't have to be a supermodel for your face to be your fortune.
Growing numbers of people are doing very nicely simply because they happen to look like someone famous.
Lookalikes are nothing new but the UK's current obsession with celebrity means they're in great demand.
And it's not just the Hollywood megastars like Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts.
If you bear more than a passing resemblance to David Dickinson, the runners from the 118118 adverts or Dorien from Birds of a Feather, you could be on to a nice little earner.
Serious money
For some years, Douglas James has been making a good living as Bond star Pierce Brosnan.
He's taken part in airshows, adverts, films and even starred in a TV series about lookalikes.
He's a good example of how serious a business this industry has become.
He does skydiving, skiing, scuba diving and stunt driving - even his phone numbers end in 007.
Favourites
He also runs an agency, Lookalikes, with hundreds of doppelgangers on its books.
There's the Fawltys, a handful of EastEnders, the Osbourne family, Anne Robinson and Rolf Harris.
And it's not all showbiz; you can also hire the Blairs, Churchill and several Royals.
Anytime someone wants to do a promotion and they can't afford the real item, they can come to a celebrity lookalike agency and book one of our artists," says Douglas.
One of the current favourites is David Beckham.
There are at least half a dozen people making money from their resemblance to the England football captain.
Full package
It takes a bit of work. They have to keep up with the latest hairstyles and changes in football kit.
But the rewards can be high. Fees of several hundred pounds a day are common for personal appearances; sometimes it can rise to a few thousand.
They're often paired up with Victoria Beckhams - one couple have even got together in real life.
Another favourite is Del Boy Trotter. Former lorry driver Stephan Feix is one of several doubles, and one of the best.
He has a full wardrobe and even owns a Robin Reliant. Clients can even book him with a Rodney and an Uncle Albert for the full set.
Douglas explains: "Looking like the character is only one element. They do have to put across the whole thing.
"If he didn't have his props with him - because Del's always on the mobile phone - he wouldn't do the act and you wouldn't really buy it."
Changes
"It's better than truck driving," says Stephan. "It's about £200 an hour for a minimum of two hours."
Del Boy is unusual among lookalikes in that he has also perfected the voice.
Some people might have a striking resemblance to a star or character, but once they open their mouths, the likeness is diminished.
A very good Whoopi Goldberg is actually French and doesn't speak very good English.
It can also be a fickle market. Will David Brent still be in demand in six months' time now The Office has ended its days?
Agencies must be alert to changes in popular culture and be on the lookout for people who they think could soon be in big demand.
They must also be aware of national preferences. A Mr Bean lookalike does very well because the character is so popular in Germany.
"We keep every picture people send us because you never know when a celebrity will come into fashion," says Douglas.
"But we would never do anything detrimental to anybody living or dead."
Identical
Like any growth industry, there are a variety of companies operating in this sector.
A quick search of the internet will show how many agencies are in competition.
Some have hundreds on their books, others perhaps just themselves and one or two others.
They say that everyone has an identical double somewhere.
If yours happens to be famous, it could be the key to a surprisingly good lifestyle.
That, of course, is if your celebrity stays in fashion for a while...
***
Be sure to check out the pics. That guys looks so not like Pierce imho.
No, that's an insult to the rodent.