Derived from the meaning above, the term "kagemusha" is used today to refer to a celebrities' tactic to distract the attention of mass-media by using a secretary or a friend as their dummy in order to avoid interviews or being chased by paparazzi.
上記の意味が転じて、現代においても著名人がマスメディアの取材、追跡を避けるため、秘書や友人など関係者を身代わりとして、マスメディアを引き付けることを「影武者」という。