We Went to the Timothée Chalamet Look-Alike Contest and Here’s What Happened
The viral Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest finally took place at Washington Square Park on October 27th. Complex was there to witness what went down.
In late September, a 'Timothée Chalamet Look-Alike Competition' flyer went viral on X. The flyer barely had any information on it, but there was a QR code leading to a mysterious Partiful invite promising a "$50 cash prize.” As with anything related to Timothée Chalamet, news of the event spread rapidly across the internet, amassing over 2,000 RSVPs. But it was so perplexing, so we had to figure out what was going on—just like the rest of the internet.
On the bright Sunday afternoon of October 27, a massive crowd gathered at Washington Square Park to see the actor’s look-alikes. The event’s host—YouTuber Anthony Po—made an entrance pedaling down the makeshift red carpet on a penny-farthing bicycle while donning a top hat and suit, officially kicking off the competition. The growing crowd quickly drew the attention of the NYPD, who shut it down just 10 minutes in. Chalamet himself made a surprise appearance later, adding even more chaos to the already wild scene.
Complex spoke with Po, who initially kept his identity under the pseudonym Gilbert. Po admitted the police intervention was anticipated and that there was a backup plan. The crowd was redirected to the nearby Mercer Playground, led by Po and the co-MC Tamir Omari, carrying a 6-foot-tall trophy and the winner’s cash prize check.
On why he decided to throw this event, Po explained, “I’ve been throwing silly events around the city for a while now, but this one’s definitely the biggest. My friends and I wanted to create something people could later tell their grandkids about—like a cool bar story.” This past April, he pulled off a similar viral stunt by eating a whole jar of cheeseballs at Union Square Park in an orange mask.
Back in Mercer Playground, the crowd was instructed to shout ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ as the contestants presented themselves. Attendees cheered or jeered as each Timothée doppelgänger stepped forward, some in character as Willy Wonka, Paul Atreides from Dune, and Bob Dylan from A Complete Unknown. There were a total of 28 contestants.
After the initial round, four judges were introduced: Amber Alexander, Benjamin De Almeida, Chloe Forero, and Yujin Ham, all content creators appointed based on their friendship with Po. They were tasked with selecting the final four “Best Tims,” and asked questions like, “If you can imagine Timothée in any Marvel role, which one would it be? Would you impregnate Kylie Jenner? Which movie character of Timothée Chalamet do you resonate with the most?” The answers ranged from “a young, hot Green Goblin” for the Marvel role, to a firm “No” to the Jenner question, with one contestant citing fear of Travis Scott.
As the judges deliberated, the event pivoted to a spontaneous dating segment. Volunteers were pulled from the crowd to meet the contestants, with one even handing out their contact cards.
When the competition resumed, the two finalists—one Wonka and the other Paul Atreides—were brought forward for a final vote from the audience. Miles Mitchell, the contestant dressed as Wonka, ultimately took home the title of “Best Tim.”
Mitchell is a 21-year-old marketing and economics student at Seton Hall University from Staten Island. He decided to enter the competition through a friend’s recommendation. With no expectation of winning, Mitchell pulled together his Wonka look from Goodwill the day before. “With the event being in Washington Square Park, where a bunch of crazy events happen all the time, I thought it would be crazy dressing up as Wonka,” he told Complex. “I wanted to give back the same energy the city gives out.” A fitting choice coming from his background in theater and performing as a magician. He also noted that he plans to stock up on more chocolate with the $50 prize money.
During Po’s closing remarks, he revealed that the park authorities had issued a $500 fine. When asked if the fine was worth it, he enthusiastically replied, “Yes. I’d do it again. And again.” He was not aware of the crowdfunding page that was created for donating $5,000 to a charity if the real Timothée Chalamet shows up, and hopes that the money goes to a good cause. Po is now working on a YouTube video recounting the look-alike contest, while Partiful plans to send each participant $50, too.
