Idolizing celebrities is so pervasive in pop culture that it is considered a high compliment for a friend or stranger to tell you that you resemble a famous athlete, singer, or actor.
Now there’s a new wave of celebrity look-alike contests being fueled by old-fashioned paper posters, word of mouth, and social media. These grassroots in-person events are taking the world—and sometimes TikTok—by storm. People are drawn to the competitions even though the grand prizes are typically low.
Let’s take a look at some of the pop culture icons being celebrated while also pondering what exactly has sparked this new phenomenon.
Blame Timothée Chalamet
The recent wave has roots in New York City. On October 27, YouTuber Anthony Po organized a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest to be held in Washington Square Park, as reported by the Associated Press. Po’s publicity really paid off when the actual Chalamet made an appearance, in addition to the hundreds of curious attendees and competitors.
Unfortunately, the NYPD showed up as well—and slapped the competition with a $500 fine for not being properly permitted. One person was also arrested.
The legal trouble did not spoil the fun, though. The party moved to a nearby playground. There, 21-year-old Miles Mitchell was crowned the Best Tim, given bragging rights and a $50 prize. He said he purchased his Willy Wonka-themed costume the day before at Goodwill.
Doppelgängers across the pond
After the drama and intrigue of the Chalamet event, the Irish and English got in on the action. On November 7, a Paul Mescal look-alike competition took place in Dublin. Two days later, Harry Styles look-alikes showed up for a contest in London. Neither of the actual stars appeared at these events.
More in San Francisco and Chicago
Back in the U.S., a Dev Patel look-alike contest was held on November 10 in San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Park to celebrate the Slumdog Millionaire actor. Six days later, a whole lot of chefs battled it out in a Jeremy Allen White competition in Humboldt Park in Chicago (the city White’s character on The Bear calls home).
Why is this happening?
The popularity of these events seems due to a number of factors. First off, world events are pretty heavy these days, with ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Many Americans are anxious after the 2024 presidential election. The world is calling out for something fun and light to distract us from the sadness and uncertainty.
“It started off as a silly joke,” Paige Nguyen, a producer who helped Po stage the original event, told the Associated Press, noting she never would have predicted that the trend would keep growing.
“People need to have some fun after all the dreary news we’re having,” journalist Katrina Mirpuri, organizer of the Harry Styles competition, told the BBC.
In an increasingly isolated modern world, people long for fellowship. There aren’t many communal events left, and these contests fill a void. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential romantic partners without dating apps.
These events have also yet to be weighed down by corporate sponsors. They’re not overly formal but rather people-powered and organic. They feel spontaneous, silly, original.
It is interesting to note that the majority of these competitions have centered on male celebrities. Women have long been held to unrealistic Hollywood beauty standards; less common is the phenomenon of men seeking validation for their resemblance to movie stars.
“The history of media representation is all about giving these standards for women, in particular, to live up to,” Erin Meyers, a communications professor at Oakland University, mused to NPR. “You’re already trying to look like Kim Kardashian or look like whoever and emulate them in your social media posts. It doesn’t feel as novel, I guess.”
Representation is another factor. Sitara Bellam, Tasnim Khandakar, and Sahana Rangarajan, friends who organized the Patel contest, originally dreamed of celebrating Twilight actor Robert Pattinson instead. Then they noticed all the other competitions favored white actors and changed course.
“I really feel like South Asian actors have always been a little bit marginalized and I think now knowing that Dev Patel can create a crowd this big, this positive—I think that’s amazing,” Khandakar explained to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The future of celebrity look-alikes
Internet fads have a tendency to burn brightly then fizzle out. Time will tell whether that’s the case for these look-alike competitions. For now, there’s a Challengers-inspired Art and Patrick competition planned in Los Angeles on November 24, so bust out your best tennis wear and go have a good time.