Pedro Pascal lookalike contest: The Brooklyn dad who gave the ‘Internet's Zaddy' a run for $50

Time of India

8 hours ago

It was Father's Day, and the Dad showed up (and stole the show)!
In the heart of New York City, where the streets pulse with energy and the unexpected is always just around the corner, a Brooklyn dad found himself thrust into the limelight—not for his parenting prowess, but for his uncanny resemblance to the internet's favorite "zaddy,"
Pedro Pascal
.
The onset of a Father's Day fun surprise
It was Father's Day, June 15, when George Gountas, a lighting designer for The Daily Show, was gently nudged by his wife, Jenny Gania, to participate in a Pedro Pascal lookalike contest. But how did it come to be? Gania told NY Post, 'It started when the '
Game of Thrones
' came out the first time — that's when we first heard it,' revealing how people started noticing her hubby's likeness to the 50-year-old Chilean-born actor. She added, 'Some kids started noting it, too, so I was like, when we saw this [contest], I was like, 'It's Father's Day.
You have to go. It's going to be your Father's Day treat,' ' Gania said she told her husband. 'It's funny, because he's not on social media at all. But now he's going to be everywhere.
'
The setup: Where all the 'Daddies' assembled
Held at Son Del North, a Mexican restaurant in Manhattan's Lower East Side, the contest was a playful response to Pascal's 2023 comment about New York City's lack of good Mexican food. Chef and co-owner Annisha Garcia decided to prove him wrong by hosting the event, turning a casual Father's Day into a celebration of community and cuisine.
George, who doesn't even have social media, was skeptical but agreed.
The icing on the cake? George picked Pedro's Cannes look (yes, the one where he sported a black sleeveless top and took the internet's breath away), and he aced it with a pair of glasses!
The contest: Will the real Pedro please stand up?
The competition was fierce. 30 *almost* Pedro Pascals? And have to choose one winner? That's a near-impossible task!
Nearly 30 contestants, each channeling their inner Pascal, took the stage.
From his role as the brooding Joel in The Last of Us to the charming Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, participants embodied the essence of the Chilean-American actor. One standout wore a shirt emblazoned with "Protect the Dolls and All Immigrants," a nod to Pascal's advocacy for his transgender sister, Lux Pascal.
Despite the high-spirited competition, it was George, affectionately dubbed 'Pedro #5', who clinched the title. His resemblance to Pascal was so striking that even the judges were taken aback, and made him the rightful winner of the contest!
As one onlooker remarked, "I thought Pedro was in the crowd!"
The prestigious prize
Winning the contest wasn't all! The 'Pedro #5', George earned a $50 cash prize and, perhaps more enticingly, a year's supply of burritos from Son Del North.
As he held up his oversized 'PEDRO #5' sign, the crowd erupted in cheers, capturing the moment on their phones. George, ever the humble winner, was simply grateful for the experience and the unexpected fame.
For George Gountas, what started as a simple Father's Day surprise turned into a memorable adventure. He may not have been looking for fame, but he certainly found it. And while he may not be the real Pedro Pascal, for one day, he was the Pedro everyone wanted to see.
The newest viral sensation
Though George isn't active on social media, the contest's organizers ensured the moment was captured and shared. Videos and photos from the event quickly went viral, with many praising George's uncanny resemblance to Pascal.
While some internet users really applauded the contest, saying, 'this is a really good contest,' some were stunned to see the resemblance, 'Woah, that's a dead ringer for Mando himself!'
One netizen was even shocked, and asked, 'That's not Pedro?!?' while others added, 'i fear pedro himself would've come second!'
Some netizens even clapped at restaurant's 'brilliant idea' to pull it off, saying, 'Doing this contest on Father's Day is absolutely W move bcs father's day??'
The co-owner of the establishment, Wim Shih, told NY Post, that the whole idea behind the contest was to bring a smile to folks during troubled times, saying, 'There's just so much sadness in the world right now, and we wanted to be a bit of sunshine today amidst all that.'
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