In a surprising twist, Hollywood superstar Timothée Chalamet unexpectedly showed up to a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in New York City, sending the event into pandemonium. Local YouTuber Anthony Po organized the contest as a lighthearted celebration of the actor’s signature style and popularity. However, the event quickly descended into chaos when the real Chalamet arrived, accompanied by bodyguards.
On Sunday afternoon, hundreds, if not thousands, of Chalamet enthusiasts gathered at Washington Square Park, vying for the title of best Timothée Chalamet impersonator and the $50 prize. But just 30 minutes into the contest, gasps and shrieks erupted from the crowd as the Dune and Wonka star himself emerged, sporting a mustache and shorter hair than many of the contestants.
“There was pandemonium,” reported NBC News, as the actor joined his doppelgängers, posing for photos and waving to the excitable onlookers. The Associated Press reported that a heavy security presence accompanied Chalamet’s unexpected appearance, flanking the actor with bodyguards.
The contest’s organizers, Po and Instagram influencer Tamir Omari, had not anticipated the sheer volume of people the event would attract. “We could have never anticipated this many people showing up,” Omari said in a video. “The expectations were that we could have an orderly look-alike contest.”
Unfortunately, the large crowd proved too much for the event’s lack of proper permitting, and the NYPD soon arrived to shut down what they deemed an “unscheduled demonstration.” The NYPD arrested four people, issued summonses, and reportedly led away one Chalamet lookalike in handcuffs.
Anthony Po, the organizer, remained unfazed despite the chaotic ending, even accepting the $500 fine the Parks Department imposed on him. “I think it’s funny. “I believe I’m making progress in the realm of public opinion,” Po expressed to The New York Post. “I can’t be upset, you know?” Po said.
Po, known for his outlandish stunts like eating an entire barrel of cheeseballs, had clearly underestimated the drawing power of Hollywood’s latest heartthrob. “I thought, ‘There is not a single place on earth that is less safe at 1 p.m. Sunday for Timothée Chalamet than Washington Square Park,'” he admitted.
In the end, the contest did manage to crown a winner—Staten Island resident Miles Mitchell, who took home the prize for his spot-on Willy Wonka costume and charismatic performance. But the real story of the day was undoubtedly the surprise appearance of Timothée Chalamet himself, which turned a simple look-alike contest into a full-blown cultural moment. “‘Tis the way of culture,” Po mused. “And this is the price of culture.” For Chalamet and his devoted followers, the brief opportunity to witness their idol in person was well worth the price.