He becomes what the situation requires.

His appearance, his behavior, his story — all of these adapt to the specific context he is in.

The misleading dimension: a chameleon changes color passively, as a response to its environment.

Bourdin is not passive.

His adaptations are deliberate, researched, and managed with considerable sophistication.

A chameleon does not choose what color to become; Bourdin chose every element of the identities he constructed with great care.

The metaphor also implies a kind of neutrality — the chameleon has no agenda, it simply matches its background.