(Photo courtesy of C. Twellmann)
Written by Mandie Stevens, Staff Writer
Did you think that was a picture of Michael Cudlitz above, playing his iconic character Abraham Ford, from AMC’s award-winning horror series, ‘The Walking Dead’? If so, you’d be incorrect!
Meet Chris Twellmann, the man who has been labeled by the world as the actor Michael Cudlitz’s doppelganger, and in turn, has taken the cosplay game to a whole new level. On Ranker.com, a digital media company that features polls on entertainment and pop culture, Twellmann has held the number one spot for “The Most Eerily Accurate Walking Dead Cosplay,’ for a couple years running.
Unlike most cosplayers who have to dress up and use makeup to get into costume, Twellmann just has to roll out of bed. He’s got the ginger hair, the blue eyes, the mustache, the same muscular build, and the rugged good looks as Abraham Ford/Cudlitz. Anything else he adds to complete the look is just a huge bonus.
Back in 2015, a friend of Twellmann’s posted a side-by-side picture of the two men on a German fan site for ‘The Walking Dead,’ (TWD) where, at the time, Twellmann was still living in his native home of Germany. The image of the two men, so uncannily similar, immediately went viral, and fans of the show went crazy. And life for Chris Twellmann? Well, to say that life hasn’t been the same since would be a huge understatement.
Calls started coming in from around the globe, and opportunities to cosplay began opening up. Within months, Twellmann was doing photo shoots of his own. He started going to conventions. He’d get ‘recognized’ by fans on the street who wanted a photo with him, even after he explained, “I am just a lookalike!”
Fans didn’t care. They ate it up. They posed happily for pictures that Twellmann was thrilled to take with them. Then, in 2016, came the biggest change of all.
“I quit my job in Germany, moved to the States, and here I am,” Twellmann laughed, his German accent lilting. “I’m living the dream.”
A former German Army Staff Sergent for four years in his younger years (ironically, Abraham Ford’s character was an army Sergent as well). Twellmann was a marketing and communications expert who owned his own business in Germany for many years until cosplay gave him the desire to immigrate to the USA in 2016.
Once here, Twellmann spent his time traveling across the country going to Comicons and festivals. He even met up and became friends with Michael Cudlitz. Eventually, he decided to settle down in Senoia, GA, in 2018. Senoia, GA, is a TWD filming spot, along with surrounding areas; the fictional town of Alexandria was filmed in a local Senoia neighborhood.
Twellmann, a self proclaimed ‘adrenaline junkie,’ is also an artist; a creator; a poet; a published photographer; a traveler; and an entrepreneur. He was ready to take things to the next level. The unique cosplay opportunity allowed him to start a new career: he started his own company in Senoia, called Abraham’s Army, located at 48 Main Street Apt Lower Level 5, Senoia, GA 30276. Investing practically all of his life savings into the project, it wasn’t long before the store was a major success. It continues to be a draw and major attraction for TWD fans, young and old alike, who come to Senoia and visit the shop.
He sells his unique fandom merchandise; at least 90% of his wares are products of his own design. T-shirts, mugs, prints, and other collectibles of every medium are what he specializes in. The fandom merch doesn’t stop there, however; visitors get to see the sets and exhibits that Twellmann has recreated. As well, customers can enjoy interactive experiences when they visit, such as the Abraham’s Army Photo Experience, in which opportunities are available all day long. Sometimes, Twellmann is often visited by fellow TWD cosplayers whom he’s met and banded with along his incredible journey; they also come to the shop to offer photo opportunities and to interact with the clientele. Abraham’s Army has even won a local NBC award for ‘location made famous.’
Discussing success with Neil A. Cohen, author of ‘Business is Dead: Resurrecting Entrepreneurship Thru The Fan Focused Venture,’ Twellmann said, “To succeed you need to learn how dust tastes.”
Despite the fact that ‘The Walking Dead’ aired its final show last month, ‘German Abe’ is as popular as ever. His social media presence, especially on Tiktok, is growing every day. He goes ‘live’, does giveaways of signed merchandise, and interacts with fans from across the globe on a daily basis, with Tiktok being his most widely used platform. He has almost 80k followers there, even though he’s only used the platform for less than a year. Head over to @germanabe on Tiktok for daily shenanigans!
Chris Twellmann can be reached on Facebook, just search his name; Instagram at @christwellmann; YouTube at Chris Twellmann. Find his link on Linktree @christwellmann. Online ordering for Abraham’s Army is also linked in his many bios.