Timothée Chalamet makes a surprise appearance at a look-alike competition in New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Timothée Chalamet made a surprise appearance at his own look-alike contest in Lower Manhattan on Sunday, an event that drew hundreds of spectators, a police dispersal order and at least one arrest.

Flanked by bodyguards, Chalamet briefly posed for photos with his high-cheeked, curly-haired doppelgängers, some of whom dressed as the actor characters in “Wonka” and the “Dune” films.

But just as the wannabe Chalamets began walking down a red carpet in Washington Square Park, police ordered the large group to disperse, fining organizers $500 for an “unauthorized costume contest.”

At least one participant was led away in handcuffs, although police did not immediately say why. An NYPD spokesperson said charges were pending.

“It started as a stupid joke and now it’s turned into pandemonium,” said Paige Nguyen, producer for YouTube personality Anthony Po, who organized the event.

Organizers had distributed flyers for the contest — promising a $50 prize to the winner — in New York in recent days, fueling speculation on social media and thousands of responses to an online invitation.

Crowds gather for the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in Washington Square Park, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.Stefan Jeremiah/Associated Press

After leaving the park, the group quickly found a backup location at a nearby playground, where more than a dozen participants competed for the crowd’s approval from a makeshift stage.

What makes a good Chalamet?

“It’s all in the nose,” says Lauren Klas, a 27-year-old graphic designer who clung to a fence post to get a better view of the stage. “Actually, his entire bone structure.”

After the group was whittled down to four, the remaining participants were asked about their French language skills, their plans to make the world a better place, and their romantic intentions with Kylie Jenner. Chalamet and Jenner are said to be a couple.

Ultimately, a winner was chosen: Miles Mitchell, a 21-year-old Staten Island resident, who dressed in a purple Willy Wonka outfit and threw candy to the crowd from a suitcase.

As he stood next to a novelty-sized check made out to “Dear Tim,” a group of admirers lined up for the chance to take a photo – or exchange social media profiles – with the winner.

“I’m excited and also overwhelmed,” Mitchell said. “There were so many good look-alikes. It was really a hit.”