'Fat DiCaprio' Russian Man Takes Up Arms to Go to the Battlefield

Man Known as 'DiCaprio Lookalike'
Loses Job Due to COVID-19 and Gains Weight Rapidly
Joins Russian Military with '27 Million Won Payment'

Roman Burchev, who gained fame as a look-alike of Leonardo DiCaprio, has enlisted in the Russian military.
[Source=South China Morning Post (SCMP), Hong Kong]

Roman Burchev (41), a Russian man famous for resembling Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio (49), has been revealed to have enlisted in the military due to a career break.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 22nd (local time), Burchev, who lived in Moscow, Russia, unexpectedly gained fame for his resemblance to global star DiCaprio. In 2016, he uploaded his photo to a dating site to find a partner. However, this photo caught the attention of many advertising agencies, and Burchev received numerous modeling offers. He was amazed to see his profile picture spreading on social media as a 'DiCaprio look-alike.'

Burchev weighs about 100 pounds (45 kg) more than DiCaprio and earned the nickname "the fat version of the Russian DiCaprio." Seizing this opportunity, he started various commercial activities and earned income. As demand for him increased, he quit his original job as a programmer and transitioned to being an "actor imitating DiCaprio." Notably, he appeared in vodka brand commercials featuring concepts using counterfeit iPhones and fake Adidas tracksuits, gaining attention with the tagline, "The only real thing in life is the mind."

However, Burchev's career suffered a major blow in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced his work opportunities. Unable to find suitable jobs, he remained unemployed and gained weight rapidly due to overeating. Eventually, he no longer resembled the "DiCaprio look-alike." As his financial difficulties prolonged, Burchev enlisted in the military at the request of the Russian government and participated in the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia is struggling to recruit troops as personnel losses increase on the Ukrainian front. Accordingly, the military is offering soldiers 10,000 pounds (about 27 million won) and promises a monthly payment of 1,625 pounds (about 2.7 million won) if they survive on the front lines. Additionally, in the event of death during combat, up to 99,000 pounds (about 160 million won) will be paid to the bereaved families.