Double takes The rise of the celebrity lookalike competition

When Miles Mitchell's friends saw fliers scattered across New York City last month advertising a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition, they urged the 21-yearold college senior from Staten Island to enter.

- Anna Betts

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.