Sahar Tabar, the Iranian who became famous worldwide in 2017 after posting photos of herself looking like a "zombie" version of actress Angelina Jolie, has finally revealed her real face and the story behind the image that took social media by storm. Her doctored photos sparked a wave of reactions, with many users believing that she had undergone dozens of surgeries to resemble a scary character. However, it was later revealed that the appearance was largely the result of computer effects and photo manipulation.

In an interview with Iranian media outlet Rokna, Sahar explained that the viral image was a form of entertainment and self-expression.

"What you saw on Instagram were the computer effects I used to create the image. Cyberspace was an easy way out. It was much easier than becoming an actor," she said. Sahar had previously stated that her photos were a way to create a character and not an attempt to become a copy of Angelina Jolie.

"By posting a photo, I make my face more fun and funny. It's a form of self-expression, a kind of art," she said. In reality, she had only undergone a few cosmetic procedures, including rhinoplasty, liposuction and lip fillers, while the most extreme part of her look came from filters and digital editing.

Her natural-faced appearance made many viewers notice that she looked nothing like the scary figure that had been circulating on the internet for years. Sahar has said that she wanted to be famous since childhood, but after her instant fame on social media, she has no intention of returning to the same way on the internet.

Her story took another dramatic turn in 2019, when she was arrested in Iran during a crackdown on several prominent online figures. She was charged with blasphemy, inciting violence, taking illegal profits, and promoting corruption among young people.

Sahar was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison, but spent about 14 months in detention and was then released.

Her case became part of the broader debate in Iran over the control of social media and freedom of expression, at a time when the country was also facing massive protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody.