Jesus saves – but his look-alikes are making lots of money.
The demand for models bearing a striking resemblance to the Son of God is increasing, with Christians hiring them to pose for family portraits, wedding announcements, Christmas cards and anything else that requires the divine presence. , The Wall Street Journal reports.
Long hair and beards may seem undesirable in most workplaces, but they are a must in this unexpectedly booming industry, where angel lookalikes can earn up to $200 an hour.
Bob Segers, who stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and has a beard and shoulder-length hair, is now modeling as Messiah after being scouted at an indie music festival in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I draw a very tall Jesus,” said Segers, who has been posting as a religious figure for four years.
But becoming a Savior is not as easy as a beard or an athletic “body of Christ.”
Often, models are required to dress in Jesus’ robes and carry his walking stick, as well as adopt Christian attributes.
Jay Knighton, a professional model who has appeared as Jesus in various family portrait shoots, recalled a client saying “You’re the most Christ-like person you can be, otherwise people would be able to tell from the photos.” You will find that it is not real.”
Meanwhile, Methodist modeling by lookalike Terry Holker was so impressive that a passerby thought he was the real deal.
The 50-year-old man was reportedly shooting in the Salt Flats when a woman approached him and asked if he could walk with her and hold her hand.
When Holkar told her that he was not “the real Jesus”, she replied that she was looking for a sign of the Lord while driving and then she saw him.
But the growing Jesus craze is not the only look-alike model attracting attention.
Makayla Avalos, 28, said doing these heavenly photo-ops gave her photography business a biblical boost.
In 2020, the Ogden-based Snapper reportedly hired a family friend to pose as the Good Shepherd with her children to make it “more personal.”
When he uploaded these photos online, Avalos was inundated with requests from people asking for similar sacred photos, and he has now shot 50-60 groups this way.
However, she warns potential customers: “If your child doesn’t like taking pictures in Santa’s lap, they probably won’t like this experience with Jesus either.”
