Naked Avatar model seeks apology over fake news story

In early December, 2014, a couple was photographed in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park ostensibly taking naked Avatar-themed "wedding photos," blue-ing up to resemble the Na'vi people of Pandora among the dramatic karst formations that inspired the alien planet in James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster film.

PHOTOS: Chinese couple shoot naked Avatar-themed wedding photos in Zhangjiajie

The would-be groom in this photo series, however, has just come out to reveal that the whole story was fake news fabricated by a Zhangjiajie tourism promoter, and his supposed intended was a complete stranger.

According to male model Ming Feng (real name unknown), he was approached to do an artistic photo shoot and agreed with the understanding that they wouldn't be publicized - little did he know that the pictures would be used in a news hoax that would spread not just around the country but, picked up by international news agencies, around the world.

Gong Xun, a representative from the Zhangjiajie Tourism Group, alleges that the models knew what they were getting into; but Ming Feng says that the company has repeatedly tried to "threaten" him out of taking legal action, boasting that they're "a listed company with government background."

However, that hasn't stopped him from enlisting a lawyer and the media in his campaign for justice. Ming is asking the company to admit to spreading false stories and to publicly apologize, and also offer him compensation for the mental distress of being labeled 'that naked Avatar dude' worldwide.

[Images via Rednet, Oriental Daily]