If you have been on the internet throughout the latter half of 2024, you may have witnessed a slew of celebrity look-alike contests popping up around the world. From Harry Styles to Dev Patel, it seems as if there’s a competition for everyone; but the question is: why? Can the contests be attributed to a simple, random joke? Or are these competitions happening because of something bigger?
It all began back in October, when popular YouTuber Anthony Po organized a Timothee Chalamet look-alike contest. This event was nothing new for Po, who’s largely known for his eclectic stunts and events. The event, held in Washington Square Park, was attended by hundreds of competitors and viewers alike. Chalamet himself even arrived on the scene to compete in the event.
The event would gain virality across many social media platforms and was soon followed by look-alike contests for stars including Paul Mescal, Ethan Slater, Glen Powell, and Jeremy-Allen White. Flyers have also been spotted for contests regarding the stars of the 2024 film Challengers as well, and more are still yet to come.
These contests are of course nothing new. For decades now celebrities such as Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley have continuously been the subject of their own look-alike competitions. Many have theorized the rise in these contests can be attributed to a much needed distraction from the current state of the world. Lately, there seems to be nothing but fear and uncertainty in the news. It makes sense more people would be turning towards fun events such as these look-alike contests instead of filling their feeds with politics and war.
In an interview with NPR about the contests, Erin Meyers of Oakland University told them: “They’re not a protest. They’re not an election rally..They’re not things that have been kind of contentious lately. They’re around something that’s a little more fun and they’re very grassroots.”
Will these events continue to rise? As mentioned before, look-alike competitions are still being organized everyday and there are still hundreds of celebrities yet to have their “look-alike moment.” Which celebrity will be the topic of the next competition to gain internet popularity in the coming weeks?
