And your Jeremy Allen White lookalike winner is…

A crowd gathered at a Chicago park final weekend for an epic showdown – who might greatest channel the vibes of TV heartthrob Jeremy Allen White? From tiny tots to grown-ups, contestants rocked the signature seems of White’s characters, sporting pristine chef whites like his function as Carmy in The Bear or channeling his Shameless persona as Phillip. The environment was electrical as followers cheered for every hopeful who stepped as much as present their resemblance.

When the cheers settled, 37-year-old psychological well being therapist Ben Shabad emerged victorious. “I did not actually plan on successful – particularly after I noticed all these guys that appeared like Jeremy Allen White – however the vitality right here is so thrilling,” Mr. Shabad advised the Chicago Tribune. Staying true to the present’s gritty spirit, the winner walked away with $50 and a pack of smokes – an ideal nod to Carmy’s chain-smoking habits.

The Bear, presently crushing it in its third season, tells the story of Carmy, a fine-dining chef who returns to run his household’s Chicago sandwich joint after dropping his brother to suicide. The present’s been killing it awards-wise too, snagging six Emmy Awards in 2024, matching Succession for essentially the most wins.

The brains behind this fan fest have been Chicago roomies Kelsey Cassaro and Taylor Vaske, who jumped on the superstar lookalike contest bandwagon following related occasions for stars like Dev Patel and Paul Mescal. The pattern’s been scorching these days – keep in mind when Timothée Chalamet shocked everyone by showing up at his own lookalike contest in New York final October? These doppelganger showdowns simply hold popping up nationwide.

“Individuals have been on-line saying, ‘Why does not Chicago have one?’” Ms. Cassaro shared with the Chicago Sun-Times. “I used to be like, ‘I feel it ought to be Jeremy Allen White if we do it.’ And I additionally assume a whole lot of Chicago dudes appear like him,” she added. What began as a social media joke turned actual when the duo noticed how a lot buzz their flyers generated round Chicago.

Whereas White himself did not make a shock look, his doubles saved the occasion going robust. “I am simply impressed by [White’s] appearing means, and the exhibits that he is been in have been actually good, so I take it as a praise that individuals assume I appear like him,” mentioned Mr. Shabad.