Hundreds of onlookers gathered in Lower Manhattan on Sunday for a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest got the surprise of a lifetime when the actor himself showed up.
Chalamet, flanked by bodyguards, posed for photos with the contestants, many dressed up as his titular character from Willy Wonka or as Paul Atreides from the Dune movies. His brief, unscheduled appearance caused a sensation and was quickly followed by the arrival of police, who ordered the crowd to disperse and issued a US$500 fine to organisers for an “unpermitted costume contest.” At least one contestant was taken away in handcuffs; no reason was immediately given for the arrest and an NYPD spokesperson told the AP charges were pending.
Flyers for the contest, organised by YouTube personality Anthony Po and his team, were posted around New York City in the days leading up to the event, prompting speculation on social media and thousands of RSVPs to an online event. “It started off as a silly joke,” producer Paige Nguyen told the AP, “and now it’s turned pandemonium.”
In spite of that, organisers were able to relocate the event to a nearby playground, giving more than a dozen contestants the chance to compete for audience approval on a makeshift stage. Once the group was narrowed down to the final four, each answered questions as Chalamet – are they proficient in French? What are their plans to make the world a better place? What are their romantic intentions with Kylie Jenner? (Jenner and Chalamet are rumoured to be a couple.)
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The US$50 prize for the “Best Tim” went to 21-year-old Miles Mitchell. The Staten Island resident certainly looked the part in his elaborate Willy Wonka costume, complete with top hat, ascot and vivid purple tailcoat – the candy he threw out to the crowd probably didn’t hurt. “I’m excited and I’m also overwhelmed,” Mitchell told the AP. “There were so many good look-alikes. It was really a toss-up.”
Timothée Chalamet has been trying his own hand as a celebrity lookalike, playing a young Bob Dylan in the upcoming film A Complete Unknown, scheduled for release on 25 December. The film follows a 19-year-old Dylan as he arrives in New York City with a couple bucks to his name only to skyrocket to international fame within a few short years. While fans of the acclaimed singer-songwriter responded poorly to early photos of Chalamet on set, the trailer launch in late July earned broad praise from Dylan experts for his commitment to the role and his singing voice.
