Uniting People through the Jeremy Allen White Lookalike Phenomenon

Origins and Spread of the Trend

The past month has witnessed a growing trend of lookalike contests sweeping both online and in-person spaces. The first event, a Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest on October 27th, began as a simple paper advertisement taped on a lone streetlight in New York. After its photos circulated on X (formerly Twitter), a crowd flooded the park on the designated day, filled with Chalamet lookalikes. This event was heavily documented on social media, sparking debates about the winner. But the real surprise came when the actual Chalamet appeared, solidifying the contest as an internet success story.

Since then, similar contests have popped up across the United States and even in Europe. There have been Dev Patel contests in San Francisco, Jack Schlossberg meetups in Central Park, Paul Mescal hangouts in Dublin, Harry Styles parties in London, and Zayn Malik competitions in Bushwick. Additionally, there have been two White events, one in Chicago and one in New York. A quick Google search reveals dozens more contests scheduled between now and the end of the year, including some for female celebrities like Zendaya and Rachel Sennott.

The Social Commentary Behind the Contests

Anthony Po, a 23-year-old YouTuber and stunt creator, came up with the idea for the Chalamet contest. Before that, his claim to fame was a viral stunt where he convinced hundreds of people to gather in Washington Square Park and watch him eat an entire bucket of cheese balls while masked. He believes that in a time when everything seems to suck, having a slightly interesting, fun, and wholesome event like the lookalike contests is comforting. People just want to come together in person and do something dumb, and these contests provide a low-barrier-to-entry way to do just that.

Po's contest also sparked social commentary. There was the shock of Chalamet's appearance, as he found himself in a potentially unsafe situation with thousands of people. Debates erupted over which Chalamet clone should have won, with one lesbian's Chalamet attire even getting the approval of the real Chalamet himself. Additionally, several cops showed up and arrested one of the lookalikes for disorderly conduct and failure to comply with park staff. Po was also fined for holding the event without proper permits.

Interest and Impact

Frankly, these lookalike contests have been enough to keep people entertained for days. In the weeks since the first Chalamet contest, events across the US and Europe have continued to pop up, each with its own interesting tidbit. In Chicago, the winner of the White competition stole hearts when he revealed his day job as a therapist. In New York, the person who planned the event didn't even show up, so an audience member stepped in to crowd source the votes and a cigarette for the winner.

Brooklyn Erin Duffy, a professor at Cornell University specializing in the creator economy and digital culture, explains that the interest in these contests comes from the combination of in-person attendance and online participation. "We don't have a lot of third spaces left," she says. "The idea of hundreds of people coming together in Washington Square Park for a shared purpose is something people crave. There's also the initial promotion in person and the post-event discourse online, creating a balance between an in-person event and its online presence."

The Future and Challenges

As lookalike contests continue to gain momentum, the next question is not if they will die out but when. While the in-person aspects of the contests have been generally positive, online, the nature of commenting on people's bodies, looks, and attractiveness can lead to cruel remarks. There seems to be a gender difference in how people receive men who claim to look like Zayn Malik compared to biracial women who say they look similar to Zendaya. In person, people may be more respectful, but in the comment section, anything goes.

Despite these challenges, the participants themselves seem to find the most joy in the contests. Andrew Hadad, the 28-year-old winner of the competition, told Rolling Stone that after years of being told he looked like the Shameless star, it was nice to finally win something. He only showed up because his "beautiful girlfriend" pushed him out the door, but he admits the short contest was both silly and fun.

So, as the Jeremy Allen White lookalike contests continue to make waves, one thing is clear: they have brought people together, provided entertainment, and sparked interesting conversations about the nature of online and in-person events.