What are the hallmarks of a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition? An arrest, a brutal gladiator-style voting system, and a surprise cameo from the man of the hour, apparently. Cosmopolitan had boots on the ground at the 27th October contest, which went semi-viral last month thanks to the 50 promotional flyers mysteriously dispersed throughout New York City. It was revealed on-site that the mastermind behind this project was 23-year-old YouTuber Anthony Po, the same man who fronted an equally grandiose public cheeseball-bingeing stunt earlier this year.
To the delight of Chalamet stans, his twins, and anyone who may have bravely bet money on his attendance, Timothée himself made a surprise appearance. He (disappointingly) refrained from entering the contest but did snake through the event’s mob to reveal his identity in the dead centre of the action.
But half an hour into the competition’s kickoff in Washington Square Park, law enforcement intervened over the commotion from hundreds of eager attendees/stans.
One prospective Timmy clone was even escorted out of the park in handcuffs for disorderly conduct, and the scene also resulted in a $500 fine for host Anthony Po. Even so, the Timmys persisted, and the remaining onlookers, contest judges, and Timothée lookalikes all relocated to the nearby Mercer Playground to keep the festivities going.
During the official showdown, three rounds of judging took place with a dozen entrants vying for the top spot. Round one’s Apollo Theatre-esque judgment style had the audience vocally vote “yay” or “nay” for the Timothée twins in question. (With spirited audience commentary like “No, he looks like the girl from Bottoms,” “LISAAN AL GAIB!” and “Is he single?” sprinkled throughout to keep the momentum going.) Midway through the contest, interested singles were also called to the stage to mingle with competitors, and the whole affair briefly became a Timothée dupe Dating Game.
In the end, the Timmy clone who prevailed over the rest was Miles Mitchell, a 21-year-old Staten Island college senior who entered the competition in full Willy Wonka (2023) garb. He went home with a trophy and a cartoonishly large check for $50. “This was probably one of the best experiences of my life,” he told Cosmo. “I was shocked and really overwhelmed [by the win], but it was amazing.”
Check out some of Cosmopolitan’s photos from the now-iconic event below, shot by Eli Schmidt.
Competition host Anthony Po
Hilarious.