Watch: Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest draws hundreds in New York

Hundreds gathered near Washington Square Park on Sunday for a Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest that drew on different phases of the New York mayor's public life, from politics and basketball to cycling and his earlier rap career.Actor and comedian Amadeo Fusca, 40, won the $100 prize in a New York Knicks jersey paired with formalwear, a Mamdani-style haircut and similar facial hair. His outfit echoed one worn by the mayor after the Knicks' NBA Finals victory.There was no judging panel. Each contestant named his favourite pizza before the crowd settled the result by applause.Contestants recreate Mamdani's campaign and cycling looksSilver rings, red-and-black ties and variations on dark formalwear appeared across the field, while some entrants drew on the brown suit Mamdani wore during his 2025 mayoral campaign.Others added bicycle helmets, referencing a more recent episode involving the mayor. Mamdani began wearing one earlier in August after facing criticism for cycling without a helmet.One entrant wore an apron with no shirt, drawing on imagery from Mamdani's 2019 Mr. Cardamom era.Permit issue moves contest outside parkA permit issue forced a change of venue. The gathering began inside Washington Square Park, but police moved it beyond the park boundary because no permit had been obtained. Sonder, a social platform for meeting new people, sponsored the event.Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose political agenda has focused on New York's working class, took office in January and has built a substantial following among younger residents and on social media.Sunday's contest was not the first devoted to him. A similar event was held in Brooklyn during his 2025 run for City Hall.Washington Square Park has also hosted other look-alike competitions. In June, five-year-old Knicks fan Francisco won $5,000 at a Jalen Brunson look-alike contest there and received a surprise FaceTime call from Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP.Mamdani impersonation becomes paying workFusca had already turned his resemblance to Mamdani into a recurring act before entering Sunday's contest. The actor, who has appeared in episodes of “NCIS” and the film “The Alto Knights,” has drawn millions of views with social-media sketches impersonating the mayor.He said the act began during Mamdani's mayoral campaign, when friends repeatedly sent him photographs pointing out their resemblance. “It was kind of the perfect storm of people constantly hitting me up,” Fusca told the New York Post after his win.At first, he was reluctant to alter his appearance, particularly because he had been growing his hair.“The funny thing is, I was growing my hair, and I was like, ‘No, I’m growing my hair, I don’t really want to do that.’ And then when [Mamdani] won [the mayor’s race], it was just insane, the messages I was getting,” he said. “I went to the barber that morning and said, ‘Here, cut my hair, and make me look like this now.’ And like, I have to look like this all the time now!”The impersonation later began drawing attention at Knicks watch parties. Fusca, who lives only a few blocks from Gracie Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side, said the reactions exceeded what he had expected. “People were reacting like crazy, beyond what I even thought,” he said. “We just kept going to watch parties, and I kept inhabiting this field of people. It’s crazy how happy people get.”The attention has also begun translating into professional work. “I started doing Instagram videos to parody him and take on his shape,” Fusca said. “It started to get more love, and I sort of realized recently that people are hiring me to do their variety shows.”Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.