Culture

Obama Lookalike Ilham Anas: Shy Photographer Poised for Fame

by Tina Kells | January 21, 2009 at 12:45 pm

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Ilham Anas, self described as "shy," is poised for international fame for his uncanny resemblance to US President Barack Obama.

The Obama lookalike is already a celebrity in his adopted home town of Jakarta, where coincidentally, the US President once lived and went to school.

A photographer by trade, Anas is finding life on the other side of the camera odd but exciting. He is embracing his new career as a much sought after Obama impersonator.

Mr Anas told Reuters news agency: "I was in the airport in Malaysia in transit and a man approached me and asked: 'Are you Obama?'. I was very surprised when he asked to take a picture together and bought me a meal."

Mr Anas's increasing popularity arose after his colleagues, at a local teenage magazine, asked him to pose with a suit, tie and American flag, following Mr Obama's election victory in November.

Soon, they were taking photos and sending them to friends. "The pictures spread very quickly on the internet. It was phenomenal. Then TV stations and an advertising agency got in touch with me," he said.

Mr Anas was born and raised in Bandung, West Java. He says he is happy to cash in but there are limits.

"I will take all the opportunities that come my way, as long as they don't violate ethical codes and my personal values," he told AFP news agency.

And he admits that all the attention has given him something of a boost. "I'm actually a shy person. I don't like being put in the spotlight.

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Paschen

at 22:22 on January 21st, 2009

Hum, there was a movie about a US president that had died and they used a double to play his role hiding the death of the President this way... I forgot what it was called.