Khaby Lame's trademark gesture -- palms skywards and Cheap Proxy Shop a knowing smile

Compared by some to Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, the most followed TikToker in the world, Khaby Lame, is preparing to launch a film career in Hollywood following his dizzying global success on social media.

"Now I'm dedicating myself to cinema. I hope this will be my job for life. It's something I've dreamt of since I was a child," said Lame, all smiles, in an interview with AFP.

"And I've always dreamt of having an Oscar, maybe more than one."

The 24-year-old Italian influencer with Senegalese roots holds top spot on the TikTok app, with 162.8 million followers.

He has until now been famous for his short silent videos mocking the convoluted tutorials of tips that abound on the Web.