Lights, camera, lookalike

By Lauren Law and Niru Shivakumar Dec. 11, 2024

Jane Hong Art

In an era where toxic fan culture—from obsessive stalking to invasive behavior—populates the media, an unexpected event emerged in October, encouraging a refreshing and cheerful atmosphere. What began as a playful experiment in New York City blossomed into a global sensation, bringing people together for a light-hearted competition: fan look-alike contests. 

The phenomenon began when YouTuber Anthony Po organized an online invitation on event planning platform Partiful, advertising a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest on Oct. 27 in Washington Square Park. Po and his friends also hung up posters around New York City to promote the competition, inviting anyone to attend and offering a $50 prize and trophy to the most convincing doppelganger.

Celebrity look-alike competitions began as an informal and local oddity orchestrated frequently by Po and his friends, as per Forbes Magazine. However, their popularity quickly skyrocketed when Chalamet himself made a surprise appearance in the park. Despite crashing his own look-alike contest, he was not awarded the $50 prize. Instead, content creators who acted as contest judges crowned Miles Mitchell, a 21 year old fan dressed in Chalamet's Willy Wonka look, the winner. Mitchell embraced the role by handing out chocolate to the crowd, who rallied support for his victory.

Chalamet’s look-alike competition offered a contrast from toxic fandoms and negative social media attacks toward celebrities. Forbes further reports that the competition went viral on social media as it allowed fans to celebrate with pure enthusiasm and kindness; the event served as a positive example of how fan communities can remain uplifting and free from negativity.

“I was surprised by the recent emergence of look-alike contests. It is fun to watch clips from the events, as it is interesting to see how people come together so easily for something so simple,” Senior Rishika Rastogi said.

After this initial competition, look-alike contests began spreading across the world. These small local events have brought fans together to showcase their creativity and shared admiration. First was the Paul Mescal look-alike contest in Dublin, Ireland, promoted through a TikTok video that received over 300,000 views. The contest was held on Nov. 7 in Smithfield Square, drawing a crowd of both locals and tourists. While it did not achieve the same global popularity as the Chalamet competition, it still captured the same spirit of enthusiasm and creativity, The Guardian reported.

Similarly, a Dev Patel look-alike contest took place in San Francisco on Nov. 10, attracting many fans and locals donning Patel’s unique looks from his roles in “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Green Knight.” Friends Sitara Bellam, Tasnim Khandakar and Sahana Rangarajan organized the contest, creating a social media flyer that led fans to an online Partiful invitation. This event marked a milestone in look-alike culture, becoming the first competition centered around a celebrity of color. Similarly, the first look-alike contest for a female celebrity—Zendaya—took place in Oakland’s Wilma Chan Park on Nov. 20. Contestants participated in a series of challenges, including a dance battle, to decide the winner. Event organizers crowned Zainab Bansfield the best doppelganger as she embodied Zendaya’s multi-hyphenate spirit.

“If there is an Ed Sheeran look-alike contest, I might participate as a joke because I always get compared to him due to my red hair. I appreciate how fans orchestrate these contests as a means of fostering camaraderie and facilitating social connections. They create a shared experience that brings people together,” Junior Ryan Etter said.

The rise of look-alike contests, from Timothée Chalamet to Paul Mescal and Dev Patel, reflects a shift in fan culture that prioritizes creativity, community and fun over negativity and obsession. BBC affirms that these events are more than just lighthearted competitions: they are a celebration of shared admiration, where fans come together to honor their favorite celebrities. As they continue to spread across the globe, with upcoming look-alike competitions for stars like _, these contests can bring fans closer together in the most wholesome and uplifting ways.

---

About the Contributors

Lauren Law likes to listen to music and hang out with friends. Her favorite artists are SZA and Drake

Niru Shivakumar

Staff Writer

Jane Hong is a artist and a page editor. She enjoys trying out new art styles and this is her third year in journalism. Some of her hobbies include watching kdrama with her family, dancing, and painting. She also likes eating good food.