“People always tell me how much they loved “Stand By Me.” Which is cool and all, but remember: I wasn’t actually in the movie.” — Kendall Abrams, River Phoenix lookalike

—

In 1989, I spent a summer in Los Angeles documenting a new breed of Hollywood entertainers: celebrity lookalikes. These individuals, while resembling famous stars, found themselves relegated to the sidelines, treated as mere substitutes for their renowned counterparts.

I believe these underappreciated actors deserve the belated recognition they’ve been denied until now. In my eyes, they weren’t just stand-ins, but genuine performers with unique talents to share. Their untold stories are extraordinary and deserve to live on.

Now that we’ve entered a post-AI era where the line between truth and fiction will forever be blurred, it felt like an ideal time to release this collection. Enjoy. — Snerko, May 2023

Shooting locations map: https://bit.ly/closebutnocigar

All work copyright Snerko 2023