Celebrity impersonation looks like good business

Even though he left the building in 1977, Elvis Presley is likely the first person you think of when it comes to celebrity impersonators. The Legend has been portrayed for decades by men, women, children, and even dogs.

Whether it’s a mall appearance like the ones Ryan Gosling’s uncle once made, a live performance, or a wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, pretending to be the guy who made peanut butter and banana sandwiches famous can be a person’s livelihood: According to Glassdoor, impersonators are earning as much as $129,000 a year.

The impersonation industry is about more than just the man who lived at Graceland—it’s thousands of other people pretending to be celebrities for money.

Corporate gigs are their bread and butter

So, let’s say you’re walking around looking uncannily like a famous person to the point where people ask you for their autograph. How do you monetize that?

• According to Los Angeles Magazine, “A-listers” can earn between $500 and $10,000 for an appearance at a corporate event or private party.
• It’s important to understand that the high end is really only attainable if you look like, say, Tom Cruise. If you’re the spitting image of the fourth lead from a 1990s sitcom, you will need to keep your day job.

Tribute bands: Being able to look and sing like famous people comes with similar perks. Brit Floyd, a Pink Floyd cover band, lists their appearance fee as between $35,000 and $50,000.

On social media, there are two types of impersonators to be found—legitimate ones looking to connect with and grow their audiences, and the ones pretending to be Brad Pitt so they can bilk a woman for thousands of dollars. As deepfake technology improves, it could encroach on non-scammer impersonators, like the guy who posted numerous videos looking and sounding like Tom Cruise.

But beware: Scam or not, celebrities and their estates can be protective. Elvis impersonators at chapels in Vegas received a cease-and-desist letter in 2022 from the company that owns the late singer’s rights over image and likeness usage. The estate of Johnny Cash sued Coca-Cola last year under Tennessee’s Elvis Act—which is a real thing—for using a tribute singer in a commercial without permission.—DL