It all started, as many good things do, with Timothée Chalamet.
In New York City on October 27, 2024, a Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest was held. Organized by Anthony Po, and judged by his friend Benjamin De Almeida, who told the crowd to boo or cheer for various look-alikes until a winner was crowned, the contest garnered a massive turnout. Infact, Timothée Chalamet himself even made an appearance, weaving through the crowd and taking pictures with fans. The massive success of the event, both with in-person turnout and how completely viral it went online, spurred the creation of even more celebrity look-alike contests across the U.S. and around the world.
Chicago held its very own Jermey Allen White contest. In Bushwick, NYC, a Zayn Malik lookalike contest was held, in San Fransisco, a Dev Patel contest. In London, a Harry Styles lookalike competition. And in Dublin, my personal favorite was held, the Paul Mescal lookalike contest. With more and more contests continuing to crop up, this seems to be a popular trend that people are eager to take part in.
So, what’s the point of all of this? Why are these contests so popular? The short answer is it’s fun. The contests are something for people to do that brings them joy; they allow them to get out of their houses and connect with their communities. The contests facilitate a space for people to engage with the people around them in a joyful and happy manner, although a bit silly, they also offer a sense of community and shared emotion. And of course, there’s the added benefit of getting to look at hot people. All in all, the lookalike contests aren’t meant to be taken that seriously, they are rather meant to be taken at surface value and seen as a place of fun and excitement. For that reason, I kind of love them; we can all use something to smile about!