A Teen Who Re-Creates Celebrity Photos Says He's Taught Others "Not To Be Afraid Of Being Different"

He pays tribute to Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lawrence, and Lady Gaga with these amazing photos.

Posted on July 29, 2014, 10:06 GMT

Rossalyn Warren

BuzzFeed News Reporter

With 1.5 million followers, Liam Martin's Instagram feed is clearly popular, and it's not hard to see why.

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

The 17-year-old from New Zealand has been re-creating photos of female celebrities to near perfection, complete with costumes and wigs.

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

Advertisement

He told BuzzFeed that he originally started doing them as it was "something completely different from the norm."

Instagram — instagram.com

His bold and imaginative photos get hundreds of thousands of likes.

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

Most of his photos depict high-profile celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Beyoncé.

Instagram — instagram.com

Advertisement

Instagram — instagram.com

He also re-creates famous fictional characters from blockbuster films...

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

...and Disney classics.

Instagram — instagram.com

Advertisement

Instagram — instagram.com

But what started as a bit of fun soon turned into something bigger.

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

Martin revealed that sometimes he gets horrible comments. “So many people can’t embrace difference,” he explained.

Instagram — instagram.com

Advertisement

However, he has also started receiving comments from people thanking him for helping them feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Instagram — instagram.com

He added, "I get people telling me that I teach them to not be afraid to do something different."

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

Martin has also made a video in which he speaks out against online bullying and the issues of self-harm and suicide.

Instagram — instagram.com

Advertisement

Instagram — instagram.com

Instagram — instagram.com

In the future, Martin said he hopes to travel to America and meet all the people that have been supporting him.

Instagram — instagram.com