A statue of Nelson Mandela erected in Parliament Square in London shows more than a passing resemblance to the Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman.
Shoppers gasped in amazement yesterday as the bronze monument, standing more than 40 feet tall, was unveiled to reveal, what appeared to be, the star of movies such as Se7en and Bruce Almighty.
Freeman, who also starred in The Shawshank Redemption, a biopic of the imprisoned future South African president, was in London for the launch of his new film, Random Black Man, in which he plays the part of a black man.
Mr Mandela, 89, whose former wife Winnie is a murderess, looked proper dashing in a very loud shirt at the unveiling, and retained his air of dignity as he was shown the statue that didn't look like him.
The statue, to be known as Nelson's Column 2, is the work of Donkey Woods, a sculptor who is now dead. His widow said:
"The two look so similar, it's an easy mistake to make."
