Local look-alike wins national contest Print
Community Living - Entertainment
Written by Michael Westblade   
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 01:00

It’s official: Frank Roberts really looks like Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

At least, People.com’s readers think so. Roberts, a 19-year-old recent Smithville High School graduate, was named Best Celebrity Look-Alike in the Web site’s best of 2009 online reader poll.

Cynthia Roberts, Frank’s mom, sent in the photo that clinched him the title — the same photo that landed him a summer job playing DiCaprio at the Titanic Museum in Branson as well as appearances on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Live with Regis and Kelly” — and she said she didn’t expect him to win.

“We were kind of surprised when he won,” she said. “But People Magazine e-mailed us and told us he won.”

Last year the title went to Renee Wiggins, a Jennifer Aniston doppelganger from Sherman, Texas. But now, for at least the next year, Frank Roberts can hold the title as his claim to fame.

“It was really cool winning,” he said. “I didn’t expect to win at all, but it’s been really fun.”

The People.com title is Roberts’ first national one, although he did win a look-alike contest in The Kansas City Star.

“I’ve been in several other look-alike contests and on ‘Regis and Kelly’ I got second place, but this is the first time I’ve placed first,” he said.

Although he doesn’t have any official plans to try and capitalize on his appearance, Roberts said he’s always open to doing more look-alike contests if they come up.

“If any more look-alike contests pop up, I’ll definitely put my picture in and see if I can win,” he said.

Roberts graduated from Smithville High School in 2009 and is currently enrolled at North Central Missouri College in Trenton.