Celebrity doppelgänger battles go viral while popularity wanes

Sezen Bakan
Nov 22, 2024, updated Nov 22, 2024

Ben Shabad won the Jeremy Allen White (<i>The Bear</i>) lookalike competition.

Ben Shabad won the Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) lookalike competition. Photo: X/@Miss_EThompson

A viral celebrity lookalike contest has sparked a number of copycat events over recent weeks – but critics say none lived up to the original.

Celebrity lookalike competitions are nothing new, but a major gathering in New York City last month – which saw actor Timothée Chalamet make a surprise appearance among his doppelgängers – breathed fresh life into the trend.

From the US to the UK, people have been lining up to show off their not-so-hidden-talent of looking like a range of actors, singers, and in one case, a writer/Kennedy scion.

But like any viral trend, the contests may have a short shelf-life as people appear to have already grown tired of the rapid number of events. The most recent ones attracted fewer crowds and contestants.

There is also frustration because few contestants actually look like the celebrities they are supposed to represent, with many merely dressing for the part.

“Nobody at the Zayn look alike contest looking remotely close to him… should’ve all stayed HOME [sic],” one person posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another wrote, “these lookalike competitions are pissing me off cause there is literally no resemblance [sic].”

So far, the contests have mainly focused on male celebrities, with some fearing judging female doppelgängers may lead to more objectification or harsh criticism.

A Zendaya lookalike contest held this week was the first major event around a female celebrity since the trend was revived this year; organiser Cassi Simms said she empathised with concerns, but the event she put on was not just about looks.

Apart from appearance and ‘vibe’, the small number of contestants were tested with a dance-off, a catwalk competition and a Zendaya trivia pop quiz.

“I don’t want people to think that it’s only just a beauty contest, because that’s not what it is,” Simms told KQED.

“It’s also just a fun thing. It’s just a sh-tpost at the end of the day.”

If you’d like to judge for yourself, read on to discover the major celebrity lookalike contests in recent weeks.

Paul Mescal

Where: Dublin, Ireland

Winner: Jack Wall O’Reilly, 24

What he said: “I think there’s a Paul Mescal in all of us.”

Prize: A giant cheque for €20 (A$32) or “three pints.”

A Paul Mescal lookalike contest took place in Dublin today.

(🎥: @TodayFM) pic.twitter.com/qyARZ323l3

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 7, 2024

Dev Patel

Where: San Francisco, US

Winner: Jaipreet Hundal, 25

What he said: “If the real Dev Patel shows up, I don’t know who would win, me or him.”

Prize: $50 (A$76) and a small monkey statue in reference to Patel’s 2024 directorial debut, Monkey Man.

A Dev Patel look-alike contest was held today in California. pic.twitter.com/h5sUD6w6IA

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 11, 2024

Harry Styles

Where: London, UK

Winner: Oscar Journeax, 22

What he said: “It was just quite an intense environment … having, like, 100 people screaming … I suppose it’s a little bit of a taste of what he goes through.”

Prize: £50 ($97).

Harry Styles lookalike contenders in London today. pic.twitter.com/BLRtef6Ont

— Variety (@Variety) November 9, 2024

Zayn Malik

Where: New York City, US

Winner: Shiv Patel, 29

What he said: Metro.co.uk reported the winner said he had been “waiting for this moment since high school”.

Prize: Free tattoo and a trophy.

Winners of the Zayn Malik lookalike competition.

pic.twitter.com/pLP4ITIyPO

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 17, 2024

Jeremy Allen White

Where: Chicago, US

Winner: Ben Shabad, 37

What he said: “I don’t know if it’s changed my life, but it’s changed my Saturday.”

Prize: A crown, trophy, pack of cigarettes and $50 (A$76).

The contestants at the Jeremy Allen White lookalike competition.
pic.twitter.com/yc77ZSg44I

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) November 16, 2024

Jack Schlossberg

Where: New York City, US

Winner: Danny

Prize: $50 (A$76) Chipotle gift card.

The winner of the Jack Schlossberg lookalike contest has been declared in Central Park NYC, and he did not remove his shades the entire time. He got a $50 Chipotle gift card. pic.twitter.com/zUSJ7H6k3N

— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman) November 17, 2024