Jesus Aceves
Performer Jesus Fajardo Manuel Aceves, who has hypertrichosis, which is a skin condition where an abnormal amount of hair growth is present on the body, inserts a teaspoon into his nose during a rehearsal for the Circus of Horrors at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, south east London January 10, 2013. Circus of Horrors, former finalists on television program "Britain's Got Talent", have advertised for a wolf man or woman on government jobs website Directgov. The circus have a Mexican wolf man (who is Aceves), but new UK Border Agency rules meant that before a worker can be granted a certificate of sponsorship, the company must advertise the job in Britain. Picture taken January 10, 2013. Reuters

A movie titled Chuy, The Wolf Man is slated for release in Mexico this month, September 2015. It is a documentary on a man named Jesus Aceves and his family who are suffering from a medical condition called hypertrichosis.

The rare condition, shared by about 30 members of the family, makes them the butt of jokes over their wolf-like appearance, bringing to mind the 1981 movie classic "An American Werewolf in London." BBC reports that as a child in Loreto, a small town in north-west Mexico, Jesus experienced the local community shunned their family because of their thick, dark hair that covered their faces.

With his appearance, it was inevitable that he ended up working for a circus, first as a ticket vendor for the Ferris Wheel when he was 12 and then the operator of a store where guests pop balloons to win prizes. The next year, the owner of the circus saw him and offered the entire Aceves family a house and jobs as member of the circus.

They traveled around Mexico and served as audience greeters and became popular for photo souvenirs among circus visitors. However, it meant being locked up when the circus was close because they were attractions and must not be seen on the streets; otherwise, people would not pay entrance fees to gawk at and have photos with them.

Because as a young boy he was bullied at school due to his appearance, with other students pulling his facial hair, Jesus then wanted to hide. At 41 now, he has accepted what he is and tells people, “God made me this way.” He considers his circus job a decent one and enjoys making people laugh.

More than just his hairy appearance, Jesus has learned other circus stunts such as tightrope walking on a high wire and climbing a ladder made of swords. His three daughters all have hairy faces too.

According to scientists, a genetic mutation is responsible for hyperthricosis, also called werewolf syndrome, reports Live Science. It runs in the family and researchers traced in 1995 the location of the mutation to a section of the X chromosome in a Mexican family, apparently referring to the Aceveses.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au or tell us what you think below