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Timothée Chalamet surprises fans at New York doppelganger competition, winner announced


Timothée Chalamet surprises fans at New York doppelganger competition, winner announced

Timothée Chalamet fans got more than they bargained for at a lookalike contest for the actor in Washington Square Park on Sunday: Chalamet himself showed up and stole the show.

The high-profile actor, known for his starring roles in Dune, Wonka and Call Me By Your Name, arrived with a bodyguard close behind him as he made his way through a crowd of surprised fans.

Dozens of floppy-haired, high-cheeked Chalamet lookalikes gathered in Washington Square Park on Sunday afternoon to take part in the contest, which went viral in September after flyers for the event were posted across Manhattan and shared on social media.

A group of doppelgangers prepare for their chance at the crown.

Scott Lynch/Gothamist

Chalamet fan Skylar Moody followed the online buzz and said she had to see it for herself.

“He just has this charm that I think everyone falls in love with. He is a very iconic fashion icon and I look up to him in many ways,” she said. “Maybe I can find some lookalikes who are single and available.”

The contest drew hundreds of spectators to the arch in the park, where NYPD officers and Parks Department employees shut it down before it could begin, arrested one person and fined the organizer, YouTuber Anthony Po, $500. In response, Po led a march of spectators and participants to Mercer Playground, where competition resumed.

Washington Square Park before Parks and NYPD concluded the contest.

Scott Lynch/Gothamist

Vincent Panetta traveled from Vermont to attend, armed with a peach, ready to recreate his favorite scene from “Call Me By Your Name,” in which Chalamet's character interacts closely with the fruit.

“People tell me I look like Timothée Chalamet. People also tell me that I look like Bob Dylan and he's playing Bob Dylan in a new upcoming movie, so I kind of threw my hat in the ring,” he said.

Chalamet fans take to the streets.

Scott Lynch/Gothamist

The top prize went to 21-year-old Miles Mitchell of Staten Island, who was dressed as Willy Wonka, wearing a purple coat and brown top hat. He won the audience's favor and was crowned champion after receiving the loudest reaction from the audience.

When asked what would make the world a better place, Mitchell used his platform to spread a simple message: “Liberate Palestine.”

Participants at the Mercer Playground.

Scott Lynch/Gothamist

Mitchell received a $50 prize, presented in the form of a ridiculously large sham check, along with bragging rights.

In Washington Square Park, where hundreds of spectators remained, Chalamet made a surprise appearance – his hair noticeably looser and his cheekbones sharper than the others.

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