'Zombie' Angelina Jolie Lookalike Shows Off Her Real Face After Prison Release

Sahar Tabar, whose real name is Fatemah Khishvand, took the internet by storm back in 2017 when she began sharing a series of bizarre, altered photos on Instagram.

The images made her look like a "zombified" version of Angelina Jolie, which quickly went viral.

Her extreme and eerie appearance was achieved through a combination of heavy makeup, photo editing, and possibly some cosmetic surgeries.

However, this online fame came with its fair share of backlash. While many were intrigued by her drastic look, others criticized her heavily.

In October 2019, the Iranian authorities arrested Sahar Tabar as part of a crackdown on social media influencers. 

According to BBC News, she faced multiple charges, including blasphemy, inciting violence, gaining income through inappropriate means, and corrupting the youth.

Iran, known for its strict moral and censorship laws, often targets individuals seen as promoting Western or non-Islamic values, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Tabar’s story took a sharp turn in December 2020 when she was sentenced to ten years in prison.

However, after serving 14 months, she was granted a conditional release, according to The Guardian.

Following her release, Sahar Tabar appeared on a state-run television channel, Rokna, showing her true face for the first time. 

The reveal shocked the internet, and many people quickly responded with a mixture of empathy and reflection.

One person commented, “It’s amazing how many people put so much thought into what other people are doing to be comfortable in their own skin. Maybe if bad-mouthing and judging others wasn’t so common, fewer people would feel the need to alter their appearance.”

Another said, “Prayers for her.” Yet another pointed out, “Wow! It’s so sad what lengths people would go to for fame… they should have tackled her body dysmorphia rather than an uncalled-for prison sentence.”

For a long time, there was widespread speculation that Tabar’s disturbing Instagram look was due to botched plastic surgery.

But Sahar was quick to set the record straight. She clarified that most of the appearance was a result of makeup and Photoshop. 

“What you saw on Instagram was the computer effects I used to create the image,” she explained. 

“Cyberspace was an easy way. It was much easier than becoming an actor.”

That said, Sahar Tabar did admit to undergoing some cosmetic procedures. She confirmed that she had a nose job and used lip fillers. 

Despite the exaggerated images, Sahar stressed that fans were aware it wasn’t her real face. 

Speaking to a Russian news outlet, Sputnik, she said that her Instagram posts were just for fun and that she never intended to seriously look like Angelina Jolie. 

“Now I can see that I have something in common with [Angelina Jolie], but I amuse myself, and to look like someone is not my goal,” she shared. 

“Over time I post a photo, I make my face more fun and funny, it is a form of self-expression, a kind of art.”

However, the drama surrounding her online persona didn’t stop there.

In 2019, her Instagram profile was deleted, likely in response to the rising scrutiny from Iranian authorities. 

“Sometimes the words of a stranger or a friend can be more important than those of a parent,” she confessed. 

She also acknowledged that her posts, which she called "vulgarity," had ultimately made her famous.