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We crown the celebrity lookalike king after a glut of competitions

Umito November 19, 2024

It’s apparently a good time to look like someone famous, because fall 2024 seems to have become the golden age of lookalike competitions.

Since Timothée Chalamet entered his own competition in New York, other cities have quickly held copycat events, with hundreds of people traveling to London to find Harry Styles’ best double.

Since then, lookalike competitions have been held for Dev Patel, Paul Mescal and Jeremy Allen White – although, oddly, we have yet to see a female celebrity version.

It remains to be seen whether this trend is a passing phase – or whether we will indeed be faced with more and more competitions, even competitions to find a Steve Brookstein or Su Pollard lookalike.

Judging from what we’ve seen so far, it might be a matter of less is more – with Zayn Malik fans feel the need to apologize for the quality of entries in New York.

To celebrate a weird few weeks, here’s a decision on the most authentic lookalike of all the contest winners.

Consider it a Champions League for this very specialized field!

Wooden Spoon: Shiv Patel – Zayn Malik Lookalike (that word is used wisely)

You know a lookalike competition hasn’t gone as planned when fans of the original specimen lament the quality on offer.

Shiv Patel managed to win, but the assembled fans were left disappointed that the Bradford-raised singer’s look couldn’t be matched or replicated.

“Zayn Malik, I’m so sorry,” one later wrote on social media.

Not amused: Jack Wall O’Reilly – Paul Mescal lookalike

He doesn’t look very different from Paul Mescal, but you wouldn’t stop him in the street.

With Gladiator II now in cinemas, however, there could be roles queuing up for a lookalike role if Jack wants more than his £20 Lidl voucher.

Katrina Mirpuri with Oscar (right) and runner-up Mitch at her Harry Styles lookalike contest

Katrina Mirpuri / PA Wire

Not bad: Oscar Journeaux – Harry Styles lookalike

The winner of the £50 cash prize was Oscar Journeaux, a 22-year-old Londoner who looks enough like the singer to have once missed a train because he was asked for an autograph.

$50 Slumdog Winner: Jaipreet Hundal – Dev Patel Lookalike

A Dev Patel lookalike competition really should have taken place in Harrow and not San Francisco, but as it did, the British actor attracted a host of lookalikes from across the Atlantic.

Jaipreet Hundal was a convincing winner and took home a check for $50. It’s not quite a Slumdog Millionaire story, but it’s pretty close.

Timothée Chalamet with Miles Mitchell, 21, winner of the lookalike contest near Washington Square Park

P.A.

Celebrity Endorsement: Miles Mitchell – Timothée Chalamet Lookalike

Dressed as Willy Wonka, the 21-year-old Staten Islander collected the $50 check after being voted the winner by the gathered fans.

It was enough to beat other floppy-haired wannabes but not enough to win this champion of champions contest…

Winner: Ben Shabad – Jeremy Allen White lookalike

You might think nothing could beat the endorsement of the original, but that’s exactly what 37-year-old mental health therapist Ben Shabad did.

Mr. Shabad received the apparently customary $50 after dressing up in an apron to look like Carmen Berzatto, White’s chain-smoking chef from The Bear.

To top it off, Mr. Shabad even won a pack of cigarettes.

Apre-salomemanzo

Apre-salomemanzo

We crown the celebrity lookalike king after a glut of competitions

Umito

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We crown the celebrity lookalike king after a glut of competitions

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