Tom Cruise impersonator Jerome LeBlanc kicked off Instagram for pretending to be someone

A Tom Cruise lookalike has been kicked off Instagram for 'pretending to be someone,' which has destroyed his business.

Jerome LeBlanc, 33, from Quebec, Canada, who is living in San Diego, California, was removed from the social media platform for breaking one of the vital apps 'group tips' which forbid folks from impersonating others.

LeBlanc, who blessed with just right appears and looks uncannily like the real Tom Cruise, were in a position to to find paintings impersonating the Top Gun actor and built up his Instagram following over the course of six years.  

Having constructed up more than 30,000 followers, his unexpected removing from Instagram led to a sharp drop in trade. 

'It used to be a pretty big blow for someone self employed like me to lose an account that introduced me so much trade,' LeBlanc advised DailyMail.com. 

LeBlanc was once first banned from the platform in June 2021. He appealed and used to be reinstated before being caught off for good weeks later. 

Jerome LeBlanc, 33, constructed up his Tom Cruise lookalike business over 10 years however has now been kicked off Instagram

LeBlanc, left, impersonates the true Tom Cruise and his persona Maverick, proper, from the 1986 movie Top Gun

Professional Tom Cruise impersonator Jerome LeBlanc is seen on his Facebook page, left, while the true deal Tom Cruise is noticed, proper

Instagram regulations state: 'Creating an account to impersonate someone is in opposition to the Community Guidelines and could result in the removal of your account.'

The app additional advises: 'Don't fake to be the true individual or brand. This includes: Speaking in the voice or portraying yourself as the person, logo, or group. Misrepresenting your courting to the individual, brand, or organization.' 

LeBlanc tells DailyMail.com: 'I tried appealing the disabling of my account - explaining I'm impersonating a fictional persona, however no luck. They mentioned "I was pretending to be someone, and my name did not match the account." Of path I wasn't pretending to be anyone, I used to be impersonating a fictional character.'

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LeBlanc set about offering Instagram documents that will optimistically see the corporate, which is owned by way of Meta (previously Facebook), reconsider. 

He equipped them with data together with a industry license showing that owned a lookalike trade, but the resolution was once a company 'no'. 

'I started to attraction 3 times an afternoon for weeks. Finally, I won a different response, they mentioned I wanted either a legal professional or someone on my behalf to end up my legitimacy. So I retained a attorney,' he continued. 

'After thousands of bucks misplaced all through the process, and hundreds spent on a lawyer attempting to regain my account. They by no means even replied to my lawyer,' LeBlanc defined. 

LeBlanc regularly makes in-person appearances at military-themed events 

LeBlanc has now been forced to transfer to TikTok to generate trade. He is pictured in 2021

LeBlanc says he does no longer believe the true Tom Cruise, pictured above, is accountable for him being removed from Instagram while others have suggested that he would possibly well be

'It has affected my industry greatly due to the fact my Instagram was once principally a San Diego base following. Which is the place I reside. Also, to best it off... This is all taking place throughout a plague where we'd like to take care of a bodily distance.'

Before heading on-line, LeBlanc started impersonating Cruise's persona Maverick from Top Gun on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles on the age of 23, the place he would pose with tourists.  

In recent times, when now not making in-person appearances at events or larger occasions such as the San Diego Comic Con for a price of 1000's, LeBlanc would generate source of revenue through making non-public videos for those that requested them for around $80 a pop. 

Despite talking French as a primary language, LeBlanc educated himself to best the quintessential Tom Cruise chuckle, a trademark of the Syracuse-born famous person. 

Now married with two youngsters, his impersonation position is his full-time activity.  

Since being kicked off Instagram, LeBlanc has been forced to start everywhere again and has now switched to TikTok and Cameo. 

LeBlanc started impersonating Cruise's character Maverick from Top Gun, on Hollywood Blvd pictured above, in Los Angeles at the age of 23, where he would pose with tourists

LeBlanc, pictured, says he does not consider the real actor is at the back of his suspension however has had phrase that Cruise may neatly have had some influence behind the scenes

If you'll be able to't meet Tom Cruise, you'll be able to at least pose with the next best possible factor - meet Jerome LeBlanc!

LeBlanc is observed in a normal Tom Cruise pose with hair, glasses and flight jacket all in the personality of Maverick from Top Gun

Even actual existence individuals of the U.S. Air Force are happy to pose with the Tom Cruise impersonator 

On TikTok, he has quickly controlled to build up a faithful fanbase of greater than 530,000 followers. Nevertheless, he's nonetheless dissatisfied in how he was once handled by Instagram. 

'My profession was basically 'meet and greets' and appearances, and on account of this platform I survived the entire pandemic growing movies for people and never receiving unemployment,' he mentioned. 

'I'm extraordinarily dissatisfied that a platform so large do not need a customer service device with actual folks responding.'

LeBlanc says he does not imagine the actual actor is behind his suspension however has had word that Cruise would possibly smartly have had some influence at the back of the scenes.    

'In November, I attempted interesting once again however the electronic mail deal with simply bounced, so I've been undoubtedly banned from the interesting process at this level.'

Despite a frustrating six months, LeBlanc remains humble: 'I'm very thankful for a career that isn't only amusing for me, but fun for others. The change of power this process brings is absolutely unbelievable.'

Despite a frustrating six months, LeBlanc remains humble: ' I'm very thankful for a profession that's not best amusing for me, but amusing for others. The exchange of energy this task brings is de facto implausible.'

Professional Tom Cruise impersonator Jerome LeBlanc is seen on his Facebook page

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