An Iranian man with an uncanny resemblance to the famous Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has been spotted taking part in an Islamic mourning procession in Tabriz, receiving humorous responses from the Iranian and world media.
Johnny Depp's doppelgänger participated in Ashura commemorations in Iran last week, becoming a hilarious topic on social media, breaking the internet, and making his fans wonder if the actor converted to the Shia Sect of Islam.
Images and videos uploaded on social media have shown a man in the northern city of Tabriz with dark sunglasses, a goatee, and hair identical to the US actor Johnny Depp. Raising sticks as he participates in a Muslim religious ceremony called Mishaq, a depiction of war preparations generally executed to pay tribute to the Battle of Karbala, which the Shia festival of Ashura is centered around.
This incident has sparked many theories around the globe. Many speculate that the actor, exhausted from the legal dispute with his ex-wife, fled to Iran.
The mysterious man in question has been identified as Iranian model Amin Sa'les from Tabriz. The model styles himself as the Edward Scissorhands actor per his Instagram page. Even with having only seven posts on his profile, with the current case unfolding, the model now has over 25,000 followers. The success of his modeling career with local Iranian agencies might be due to his extreme resemblance to the actor, as some people think.
With the video going viral, some speculations made the fans worry about the actor with the possibility of him leaving Hollywood. However, the real Depp just signed a multi-year, seven figures deal with Dior to continue serving as the celebrity face of the fashion house's best selling Sauvage cologne.
In the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ashura is an important holy day that takes place on the tenth day of Muharram.
For the Shia, on the tenth day, Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and his son-in-law Ali, and most of his small band of followers were slain by Umayyad forces in the Battle of Karbala, 680 AD. To commemorate his martyrdom, the Shia believers gather every year where the preachers deliver sermons, narrate the life of Husayn and the history and aftermath of the battle, and chant their prayers commemorating Husayn and his virtues. Processions are also staged in some places.
These ceremonies are quite popular in Iran, as such sacred rituals are complemented by plentiful supplies of free foods and drinks, known as Nazri. The food is considered holy for anyone who eats it or makes it. Individuals and private groups freely distribute these supplies to complete an offering made to God in honor of Hussein's martyrdom.
This year Ashura was celebrated last week in the Middle-east and many more places, including Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, among Shia Muslims.
