New York City is basically built on the idea that anything can happen if you get enough weirdos in a park. But even for Lower Manhattan, the timothee chalamet look alike nyc contest was a total fever dream.
Thousands of people shoved into Washington Square Park on a random Sunday in October 2024. Most were just there to see if the rumors were true. Could there really be that many jawlines that sharp in one zip code?
The answer was yes. And then the real Timothée Chalamet showed up.
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What Actually Went Down at the Timothee Chalamet Look Alike NYC Event
The whole thing started as a bit of internet chaos cooked up by YouTuber Anthony Po (known as AnthPo). He put up flyers with QR codes all over the city. No permits. No official security. Just a promise of $50 to the "Best Tim."
By 1 p.m., the Washington Square Arch was a sea of curly hair and vintage sweaters. Honestly, it looked like a Dune casting call that had gone horribly wrong. Then, the police showed up.
NYPD wasn't exactly feeling the "Wonka" vibes. They slapped Po with a $500 fine for an unpermitted event and started clearing the crowd. This is where it got legendary.
The Surprise Cameo No One Expected
Right as the cops were trying to disperse the masses, the actual, real-life Timothée Chalamet walked into the middle of it. He was wearing a black hoodie and a baseball cap, trying to blend in.
He didn't blend in.
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People lost their minds. He spent about a minute posing for photos with his own doppelgängers, looking like he was having the time of his life. One of the best details? He actually came in about 13th place in the organizer's unofficial ranking because his mustache (grown for a movie role) "threw off the vibe."
Miles Mitchell: The Man Who Beat Chalamet (Sorta)
After the police forced the crowd out of Washington Square Park, the remaining "Tims" migrated to Mercer Playground to finish the fight.
Miles Mitchell, a 21-year-old Staten Island resident and college senior, took the crown. He didn't just show up with the hair; he dressed as Willy Wonka in a purple suit and actually tossed candy to the crowd from a briefcase.
What made Miles win? * The Look: He had the bone structure and the tousled waves down pat.
- The Commitment: The purple Wonka suit was a thrift-store masterpiece.
- The Talent: Contestants had to prove their French skills and answer questions about their "romantic plans" with Kylie Jenner.
Miles took home a novelty-sized check for $50 and a trophy. Since then, his life has been a whirlwind. He’s been on The Drew Barrymore Show, flew to the Golden Globes, and has actually met Chalamet in person a few times since the win.
The Fallout and the Fines
It wasn't all just candy and jawlines. At least one person was detained by police during the initial chaos. Anthony Po, the organizer, faced the $500 fine, which Chalamet’s team actually offered to pay (though he turned them down because an invite app called Partiful stepped in).
Po later admitted the event cost about $4,000 to produce. For $50 in prize money, that’s a lot of commitment to a bit.
Why This Specific Look-Alike Contest Went Viral
The timothee chalamet look alike nyc phenomenon wasn't just about one actor. It sparked a massive trend of "cultural hijinks" across the globe. Suddenly, there were Jeremy Allen White contests in Chicago and Paul Mescal meetups in Dublin.
People are tired of curated, corporate PR stunts. This was messy. It was unpermitted. It was a bunch of Gen Z kids in New York being goofy.
Experts like Sergio Slavnov, a celebrity hairstylist, even showed up to the event just to scout for talent. He noted that even if the guys didn't look exactly like Timmy, everyone in New York wants that specific "tousled wave" hairstyle. It’s a literal economy built on hair product and cheekbones.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Big Event
If you're planning on attending or—heaven forbid—organizing the next viral look-alike contest, keep these things in mind:
- Arrive Early, Leave Fast: These events almost always get shut down by the NYPD within 45 minutes. If you aren't there at the start time, you'll miss the main action.
- Theme Your Look: Just having curly hair isn't enough anymore. The winners are usually the ones who pick a specific character, like "Dune" Paul Atreides or "Wonka."
- Check Socials for Move-To Locations: When the cops show up, look at the organizer's Instagram or X (Twitter) immediately. They usually have a "Plan B" park nearby.
- Don't Expect to Get Rich: The prize money is symbolic. You're doing this for the clout and the stories, not the $50.
The legacy of the timothee chalamet look alike nyc contest lives on in the "experience" economy. It proved that in a world of AI and digital noise, people still want to stand in a cold park and argue about which stranger looks most like a movie star. It's weird, it's New York, and it's probably going to happen again.
Keep an eye on the flyers in the East Village. You never know who’s looking for their twin next.