In a twist of fate, Shad Elli, a London Underground train driver, has found himself living a Hollywood dream – as a professional Will Smith lookalike and tribute artist. For over three decades, the 47-year-old has been cashing in on his uncanny resemblance to the renowned actor, entertaining fans across the globe.
Elli’s story began in 1997, when posters for the blockbuster “Men in Black” plastered the tube network. Commuters at Shadwell station were quick to notice the striking similarity between the Hollywood star on the wall and the station assistant behind the barrier. “I had regular customers coming through the station saying ‘oh my god, you look like Will Smith’,” Elli recalls.
Encouraged by a stranger’s advice, Elli began his journey as a professional lookalike, sending photographs of himself recreating Will Smith’s magazine poses to an agency. Within a week, he had landed his first job – the front cover of an electrical magazine, reenacting the “Men in Black” poster.
From there, Elli’s career as a tribute artist took off. He has since performed at a wide range of events, from corporate functions and weddings to bar mitzvahs and private birthday parties. “I do anything that you want Will Smith to do that you couldn’t afford to get Will Smith to do,” he explains.
Elli’s big break came in 2022, when he was hired as a body double for Will Smith’s National Geographic series, “Pole to Pole.” Flown to locations across the world, including Botswana, Norway, and Papua New Guinea, Elli worked closely with the Hollywood star, occasionally standing in for him in aerial shots.
The two men eventually crossed paths on set, with Smith embracing Elli with a handshake and a shoulder bump. “They were very humble and very appreciative,” Elli says of the actor, who would often offer a “good job” or an “I appreciate you, man.”
On the final day of filming in Papua New Guinea, Elli seized the opportunity to express his gratitude to Smith, telling him, “I just want to say how thankful I am and how grateful I am to you just for being you, because you’ve enabled me — a person that you had no idea probably exists — to do some amazing things.”
Smith responded with joy, describing Elli’s work as “genius” and embracing him in a hug. The two even joked about the possibility of Elli performing a show and Smith making a surprise appearance, joking that they would “shut down the internet.”
Despite his brush with fame, Elli has not given up his day job as a London Underground train driver. He continues to balance his work as a lookalike and tribute artist, keeping in touch with the production team he met during the filming of “Pole to Pole” and hoping to collaborate with Will Smith again in the future.