Phill News Entertainment – Phill News
It’s a pretty bold act to tell people you look like a celebrity, especially if that person you think looks like is one of the biggest crushes in the world.
But that hasn’t deterred hundreds of men in the UK and US to take part in the latest trend: look-alike contests.
It all started with a Timothée Chalamet competition in New York three weeks ago, which even the real actor himself took part in.
Since then, similar contests have drawn hordes of young people hoping to catch a glimpse of someone who vaguely resembles Harry Styles, Dev Patel, or even Paul Mescal.
Winners and organizers explain why these events, which offer eternal bragging rights, five minutes of fame, and (small) cash prizes, are so successful.
‘It was a free event, why wouldn’t I go?’
Our fascination with celebrity look-alikes is nothing new. Stars in Their Eyes, a show in which amateur look-alikes imitate singers, ran for 16 years on ITV, but the format is returning as Starstruck in 2022.
But the recent contests have one thing in common: the celebrities are all young, attractive and male.
Avani Johnson, who attended Timothée Chalamet’s competition, believes the recent trend started because “women are enjoying the opportunity to objectify men, which is leading to a complete shift in power relations.”
She adds that it also gives us a chance to “laugh at the absurdity of pretense.”
Last month, 20-year-old student Miles Mitchell won the award for best Timothée Chalamet lookalike in the contest that started the trend.
Miles was studying abroad in South Korea when he was first told he looked like Chalamet.
“I was there when Dune came out and people in stores and restaurants kept asking me if I was Timothée on the press tour.”
He said he was drawn to the contest because he was a university student in New Caledonia. “Social networking can be very expensive, so me and my friends loved that this was a free, fun event,” York said.
The event took social media by storm, with one person commenting that it was a “historic moment in pop culture”, while another said the contest “shows that people are craving queer events in the city”.
The real Timothy turned up and posed for photos with some of his look-alikes, but Miles didn’t get a chance to meet the American actor.
“He arrived just as the police were breaking up the event so I was already at the second venue. Sad I missed him.”
‘I entered the contest for publicity’
Oscar Journeau, a 22-year-old musician, recently won a Harry Styles look-alike contest in central London and admitted that he entered for the “publicity”.
“I thought I’d get a bit of fame and recognition from my music, but it’s so hard to break into this industry. You have to put yourself out there.”
Oscar says it was his turn that he missed out on once. He adds that a die-hard fan had asked him for an autograph, saying, “People want to believe that these events have a deeper meaning, but in reality, we’re all just bored millennials and Gen Z looking for something. Find something that they can do.”
Keenan Gregor, who plays the blonde Harry, says he joined because he “wanted to be part of something that could be talked about”.
Journalist Katrina Mirpuri says she organized the doppelganger contest because “people need some fun after all the terrible news.”
She was worried “no one would turn up,” but half of Soho Square was filled with look-alikes and fans.
Although most of the contestants looked nothing like Harry, “the girls screamed every time a guy stood up to turn, so they were doing something right.”
“It wasn’t really about who looked the most like Harry,” Katrina explains. “This was a way for people to just be positive and celebrate each other, which is what we need when everyone on social media is so mean and negative.
Now she has her sights set on hosting another contest, but this one every once in a while.” For someone older like Hugh Grant.
Jaipreet Hundar had a very good weekend after being crowned the most convincing Dev Patel lookalike in San Francisco.
“The best part was when I turned up at the venue, some people thought I was the real Dev Patel and were so excited that he was at the event,” he told the BBC.
The 25-year-old says his resemblance to the Slumdog Millionaire actor gave him “an insight into what it’s like to be famous.”
He explains that the trend is popular right now because “it’s a great way to bring people together and have a good time.”
Sudev Namboodiri, who drives hours to take part in the competition and is said to look like Dev almost every day, says “It wasn’t about winning.”
“It’s nice to meet new people and it was great to see hundreds of young people come and hang out together.”
After the recent US elections, “people need to get away from it all” and have a little fun,” he added.
Juras Odreman has been mistaken for Zayn Malik for 10 years, but says he doesn’t know it because he’s “not that handsome.”
Juras, who is from Venezuela, said “People don’t call me by my real name anymore” because his friends think he looks like Zayn.
His resemblance to the former One Direction star means he often gets “stopped by groups of girls on the subway or in the street.”
When meeting a friend’s four-year-old son, He also had to pretend to be the British singer, who “insisted too much that I was really him.”
“He was so excited to meet a celebrity, and I didn’t want to take away that fantasy, so I just went along with it.”
On Saturday, he’ll be impersonating Zayn in a New York lookalike contest hosted by Jazz, an Arnold inspired by Timothée Chalamet’s competition.
“Zayn is so hot, and I can’t imagine finding someone as beautiful as him,” she says.
She added that it’s “hilarious and brave” that so many people think he’s as good-looking as Zayn, and said she’s excited to see who turns up.
