The Paul Mescal lookalike contest is sadly an indictment of every Irish lad I’ve met who claims that Paul Mescal looks like every lad in Ireland,’ one person wrote on X

The film stars Kildare actor Paul Mescal, playing the character Lucius alongside co-star and two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington. Sir Ridley's first film in 2000, which starred Russell Crowe as soldier-turned-gladiator Maximus, won five Oscars including best actor and best picture.

Following the absolute mayhem of the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in Manhattan's Washington Square Park last month, many other celebrity lookalike competitions have spawned across the globe, including yesterday's competition for Paul Mescal in Dublin,

A Paul Mescal lookalike competition was held Thursday in Smithfield near the Lighthouse cinema and crowned its winner shortly before 2 in the afternoon. Video by: Hannah Daygo

Unlike the New York edition, it seems like no Pauls were arrested for the making of the bit, but one—real name Jack Wall O’Reilly—did win a giant check for “€20 or three pints.” A Paul Mescal lookalike contest took place in Dublin today.

After a successful Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in New York, a Paul Mescal look-alike contest was held in Dublin, Ireland ahead of the Gladiator II screening.