Joe Goldberg lookalike reveals he's inundated by fans of Netflix's You - as he shares the VERY bizarre requests they make
Nikita Darwin, 22, a content creator from Dover, Kent, says he is regularly compared to Joe, the lead character in the hit series played by Penn Badgley.
Goldberg's character initially appears charming and innocuous, but watchers quickly realise he is an obsessive stalker with murderous tendencies.
Perhaps an unfortunate likeness, Nikita said it is 'kind of crazy' to be told that he looks like the fictional serial killer and the amount of messages he gets about it is 'insane'.
Nikita even claims women on dating apps ask him to kidnap them and lock them in a cage - like Joe does in the show.
He says some women have even sent him their address by way of an invitation, but insists he's never taken anyone up on the offer. Nikita says the resemblance has revealed people's kinky preferences.
'People really love the idea of being stalked by Joe,' he said. 'A lot of people tell me that I have a serial killer vibe, which is kind of scary as I'm not trying to be a serial killer.
'I will be sent locations, people will ask me to stalk them and lock them in a glass cage.'
Nikita started posting videos on TikTok, where he has 179,000 followers and a combined ten million 'likes', and his messages were soon flooded by strangers who said he bears striking resemblance to Joe Goldberg.
He said he found it 'crazy' to be likened to a serial killer but has leaned into the stereotype.
He said: 'I have had a lot of people in my life who tell me I look like Joe, including many family members and friends.
'So, I thought I would start posting online and it has been kind of crazy.
'I get thousands upon thousands of messages every day of people telling me that I look like Joe and asking me to stalk them.'
Nikita, who is single, says women on dating apps will often message him with their location and he will often jokingly respond that he is Joe's brother.
'I get people on dating apps messaging me asking if I can put them in a glass cage,' he said.
'People will send me their live location and ask me to stalk them. They don't think I am a catfish, they just think I am a really good lookalike.
'I just respond to them saying I'm his brother and their reaction is always a surprise.'
Nikita is a huge fan of You, but doesn't understand why women are fascinated by Joe as a character.
And every time he leaves the house, he says, someone will approach him - having mistaken him for the actor.
He said: 'My initial response is always "I get that a lot". I will leave the house and people will come up to me asking me to stalk them.
'In all honesty, I don't think people would enjoy it as much as they think they would. I think he is really bad, but all the girls seem to be fascinated by this serial killer, which is really messed up.'
Women's attraction to the show's violent protagonist is nothing new.
The newest season hit Netflix a month ago, but the first episode streamed in 2018, and social media has since been flooded with women professing their attraction to the fictional killer.
Elaine Parker, CEO and Founder of Safer Date, has warned that this tendency to focus on the character's charming and attractive side is concerning.
She argues that if you do the same in a real-life relationship, it's easy to miss the warning signs of violent and controlling tendencies.
Elaine told FEMAIL: 'When it comes to dating - and particularly online dating - everyone needs to be aware that there are no legal standards for the dating industry.
'So, you could literally be talking to anyone online - even serial domestic abusers and sex offenders.
'When it comes to You, we've seen a lot of women on social media say that they have a guilty crush on Joe despite his violent tendencies.
'These definitely aren't qualities you should be looking for in a partner.
'However, watching his character on TV, we can see how easy it is for Joe to hide these characteristics and that's why it's so important to look out for red flags like "love bombing" and possessiveness.'
She added: 'If you are dating and you see any red flags - trust your gut and get out of the relationship.
'Please look out for your friends too. If any of your friends are dating online and you feel something isn't right, ask if they're okay.
'It's not always easy to talk about what's going on behind closed doors, so if you see less and less of them and they are becoming withdrawn, reach out. It's difficult to start those conversations, but it could make a huge difference.'
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