Soon, Mitchell found himself at his local Goodwill store, purchasing an outfit resembling the one worn by Chalamet's Willy Wonka character.
Mitchell arrived at Washington Square Park on 27 October for the contest, and faced off with other contestants dressed as Chalamet in front of thousands of attendees. To his surprise, he won, earning the prize of $50, new friends and newfound fame, in what he has called the "craziest day" of his life.
"It was a sensory overload," he said. "There were so many people, and people were coming up to me for pictures and interviews."
Despite the event's chaos, which included four arrests and a $500 fine for the organiser for lacking a permit, the contest was a success and went viral online - especially after the real Chalamet made an appearance.
The event has since inspired dozens of similar lookalike contests with their own local spins in cities worldwide, mainly promoted through flyers and social media.
Denne historien er fra December 13, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra December 13, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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