Will Smith has a lookalike named Shad Ellis and he’s been cashing out on him for the past 25 years. In the heat of Will slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, Shad’s business has boomed as demand for his appearances has shot up.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Shad charges at least £600 ($1050) per appearance but “is also having to deal with a lot of comments from strangers and friends alike – both in-person and online.”
Shad Ellis, 43, from Bedfordshire in the UK, has spent two-and-a-half decades appearing at nightclubs, weddings and corporate events across the globe as a doppelgänger.
He is even being stopped in the street by onlookers who think he is the real Will Smith. Thankfully, people are mostly curious about the uncanny resemblance between the pair.
“I get comments about it daily,” Shad told Jam Press. “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. We spoke for a bit and he ended the conversation by jokingly saying ‘Don’t slap me’.
“It’s all in good humour.”
According to Shad Ellis, being Will Smith’s lookalike pays off his mortgage.
Shad works as a lookalike part-time, having done it on the side for over 25 years. Although he won’t share exactly how much he makes through his second job, it allowed him to buy his first house aged just 21 and “drive nice cars”.
However, despite benefitting financially from the controversial moment, he “doesn’t condone violence” – but can see both sides of the argument and thinks Jada is toxic.
Despite cashing in huge on Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars slap, Shad says he doesn’t condone violence and condemned Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock to please Jada Pinkett.
Flip to the next page for photos of Will Smith’s wannabe and all the times Jada has embarrassed the real Will Smith.
