Yu Zhenghuan, 32, has 96% of his body covered with a thick layer of black hair, reports Zhejiang Online. He was confident of landing a lead role in a production of Chinese classic Journey to the West which tells how a monkey helps his Buddhist master.

"I thought I was the best candidate, as I look like a monkey and my nickname is Monkey Man, I read through the book and found professional hair dressers to make me into a real monkey man. But I failed the audition because I am not good looking enough. I am going to have surgery to get rid of the hair and facial plastic surgery to make myself look more like a pretty monkey, and let the director regret his decision."

Zheng Quan, president of the hospital, said Yu probably suffered from hirsutism, a disease caused by a hormonal imbalance. He says that it will take three to five sessions of treatment to remove Yu's body hair, then a course of plastic surgery to enlarge his eyes, and reduce the size of his nose and lips.

Yu first found fame aged just seven when he was a child star in a movie entitled Monkey Boy's Treasure Safari. "I love acting but a lot of people believe I only got success because of my thick hair, which is not true. I just want to prove to them that I have talent and I don't need this hair to be someone," he said.

God forbid he should have to rely on anything as mundane as talent!

The operation was cancelled because they didn't have enough razors to prep him.

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