Move over, Carmy. Chicago just crowned its very own Jeremy Allen White lookalike, and the resemblance is pretty uncanny. On November 16, 2024, dozens of hopefuls channeled their inner chef (complete with those signature white t-shirts and aprons) at a local park, all vying for the title of best Berzatto doppelgänger.
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The crown ultimately went to Ben Shabad, a 37-year-old mental health therapist who could easily pass for White’s long-lost twin. As it turns out, Shabad wasn’t even trying to win. “I didn’t really plan on winning—especially when I saw all these guys that looked like Jeremy Allen White—but the energy here is so exciting,” Shabad told the Chicago Tribune.
The prize package was perfectly on-brand for fans of The Bear: a cool $50 and—in a cheeky nod to Carmy’s stress-smoking habits—a pack of cigarettes. While the real Jeremy Allen White (currently busy filming a Bruce Springsteen biopic) couldn’t make an appearance, the crowd’s enthusiasm wasn’t dampened one bit.
The masterminds behind this delightfully chaotic gathering were Chicago roommates Kelsey Cassaro and Taylor Vaske, who noticed a trend of celebrity lookalike contests popping up around the country. “People were online saying, ‘Why doesn’t Chicago have one?’” Cassaro explained to the Chicago Sun-Times. “I was like, ‘I think it should be Jeremy Allen White if we do it.’ And I also think a lot of Chicago dudes look like him.”
What started as a playful social media post soon transformed into a full-fledged event, drawing hundreds of spectators eager to judge which contestant best captured the essence of the Emmy-winning actor. The competition saw everyone from Carmy clones to Shameless-era Lip Gallagher lookalikes—and yes, even an adorable toddler-sized version made an appearance.
For winner Shabad, the comparison is nothing but flattering. “I’m just impressed by [White’s] acting ability, and the shows that he’s been in have been really good, so I take it as a compliment that people think I look like him,” he shared.
This latest lookalike competition follows a string of similar events across the country, including contests for Dev Patel and Paul Mescal. Most notably, Timothée Chalamet himself recently crashed his own NYC-based lookalike competition—though he graciously stayed out of the running. (Smart move, Timmy.)
And for those wondering if the trend is slowing, it doesn’t look like it’s dying down anytime soon! New York City is hosting another Jeremy Allen White lookalike contest on November 17, 2024, with winners set to receive two packs of cigarettes (winner’s choice) and a 7-day MetroCard. With White’s Brooklyn roots, the competition is sure to be fierce.
