When YouTuber Anthony Po organized the Wonka-star look-alike contest heard round the world in October, he was slapped with a ticket that was far from golden. Po incurred a $500 fine for the unlawful gathering, but Timothée Chalamet’s team quickly reached out to help. “They offered to pay the ticket, which is truly funny,†Po told People. He claimed the event cost “like $4,000, so it’s like legit the best case scenario.†Chalamet, who made a surprise appearance at the contest, was happy to share his approval. “They basically [said] like, ‘We thought it was awesome. Thanks so much,’†Po recalled. He expressed gratitude for the recent Gotham Award winner’s good deed but politely declined the money. The event-invite app Partiful, which Po used to drum up excitement around the contest, footed the bill.
Po’s doppelgänger competition for the Complete Unknown star became very, very known, sparking a series of copycat events across the globe for famous individuals ranging from Paul Mescal and Harry Styles to Peso Pluma and, um, Shrek. None of these managed to garner any celebrity cameos (or arrests), however, which is probably for the best. Po admitted Chalamet himself was outmatched by his competitors. “I think if he would’ve stayed for the end of it, maybe I would’ve given him runner-up or something,†Po said. Chalamet will have to put his $500 elsewhere. Maybe a new Bob Dylan wig.