A Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike from Russia has joined the military fighting against Ukraine, after failing to meet up to the standards of his show business career. Roman Burtsev landed multiple acting, advertising, and modeling gigs as DiCaprio’s doppelganger but is now living a different reality.
Roman has been enlisted to fight for his president Vladimir Putin as an unemployed male citizen of age, which may not have happened if he maintained his entertainment career. He went from being behind the cameras to working odd jobs in the market and will now be at the war front.
Why did Roman Burstev lose his job?
Roman lucked out with his looks, which made him go viral as DiCaprio’s doppelganger; however, gaining weight rendered him unfit to replace the 49-year-old actor in movies and commercials like before. The sudden weight gain occurred during the pandemic, and Roman has yet to size down.
A picture of Roman in an army uniform is making the rounds online, and it shows the 41-year-old looking swollen, dejected and a contrast from his admirable celebrity lookalike self. Just before the war, Roman was still living with his parents and their cat in a two-bedroom council flat in Podolsk.
Does Roman Burstev have a better chance in the military?
With the benefits attached to his military recruitment, Roman may have a chance at a better life with his £16,000 payment upon signing his contract and partaking in the training, after which he would receive £1,625 monthly while at the war front.
Should he get killed, his family qualified for a £99,000 compensation, which may be more. These incentives come as President Putin has an urgent need for recruiting more soldiers in the fight against Ukraine. From recent photos, Roman is clearly unhappy to have left his pseudo-celebrity life for a dangerous job because of an extra 100 pounds.