Timothée Chalamet fans got more than they bargained for at a look-alike competition for the actor in Washington Square Park on Sunday: Chalamet himself showed up and stole the show.
The A-list actor, known for starring roles in “Dune,” “Wonka” and “Call Me By Your Name,” arrived with a bodyguard close behind as he made his way through a crowd of surprised fans.
Dozens of floppy-haired, high-cheeked Chalamet look-alikes turned out in Washington Square Park on Sunday afternoon to compete in the contest, which had gone viral in September after fliers for the event were posted across Manhattan and shared on social media.
A crowd of doppelgängers prepare for their chance at the crown.
Scott Lynch/Gothamist
Chalamet fan Skylar Moody followed the online buzz and said she had to check it out herself.
“He just has this charm to him that I feel like everyone falls in love with. He’s a very iconic fashion icon and I look up to him in so many ways,” she said. “Maybe I’ll find a couple of lookalikes that are single and available.”
The contest drew hundreds of spectators to the arch in the park, where NYPD officers and Parks Department personnel shut it down before it could begin, arresting one person and fining the organizer, YouTuber Anthony Po, $500. In response, Po led a march of spectators and contestants to Mercer Playground, where the contest resumed.
Washington Square Park before Parks and NYPD shut down the contest.
Scott Lynch/Gothamist
Vincent Panetta traveled from Vermont to participate, armed with a peach, ready to recreate his favorite scene from “Call Me By Your Name,” where Chalamet’s character interacts intimately with the fruit.
“People tell me I look like Timothée Chalamet. People also tell me I look like Bob Dylan and he’s playing Bob Dylan in a new upcoming movie, so I threw my hat in the ring, so to say,” 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 dressed as Willy Wonka in a purple coat and brown top hat. He won the crowd’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 share a simple message: “Free Palestine.”
Contestants at Mercer Playground.
Scott Lynch/Gothamist
Mitchell received a $50 prize, presented in the form of a comically large dummy check, along with bragging rights.
At Washington Square Park, where hundreds of spectators remained, Chalamet made a surprise appearance — his hair noticeably floppier and cheekbones sharper than the rest.