Film and Television
Lucy Nuñez was sitting in a coffee shop in Washington, D.C., when she spotted, as she puts it, “the most handsome Shane [Hollander] lookalike” sitting on the other side of the space.
So as not to come across as rude or creepy — the lookalike of the Heated Rivalry character was wearing headphones — Nuñez passed him a note.
It wasn’t an invitation to the cottage. But it was an invitation to a Heated Rivalry lookalike contest that Nuñez was hosting alongside Brandon Bayton, who conceptualized and produced the event.
The interaction shows the groundwork required to host a successful event that depends on audience participation. It also reveals a twist of fate: despite his interest in attending, coffee-shop Shane never made it to the lookalike contest. He was stuck in traffic, Nuñez says.
Perhaps that’s because the winning title was meant for Aram Matagi (Shane Hollander) and Felix Eller (Ilya Rozanov).
“Felix stepped out, he took off his shirt... I thought we were in store for a noise violation because the crowd went crazy,” Bayton says in reference to the April 4 event at D.C.’s Wunder Garten.
Shane No. 5 followed suit, taking off his shirt. He kissed Eller, and the crowd erupted.
“Not to be outdone, Aram, Shane No. 8, took his shirt off and then proceeded to engage, I think, in one of the hottest kisses that the internet has seen in a while,” Bayton says.
@felix.eller Won more than the competition 😘😘😘 #heatedrivalry #mlm #lookalike #ilya #shane ♬ All The Things She Said - t.A.T.u.
Bayton had previously told Nuñez that he would help break a tie if needed.
“Everyone was screaming so loud. Lucy says, ‘Which one?’ and I said, ‘Oh, No. 8, clearly,’ and I wasn’t even thinking about it at the time. It just made sense,” Bayton says.
Matagi and Eller have been dating since the lookalike contest, but Nuñez, a matchmaker and content creator, says she wasn’t expecting the event to result in any bona fide matchmaking.
“I’m always happy to see any couple have a meet cute and have the beginning of a love story, but it just makes me especially happy to see a gay couple living their love story proudly and publicly,” she says.
The all-day event included more than the lookalike contest. Bayton produced a Cottage day party, a “thirst and sip”— like a “paint-and-sip,” but with a handsome model (in this case, Felix Eller!) — and a night party, while Nuñez brought colored wristbands to indicate attendees’ dating status: green for single, red for taken or yellow if it’s complicated.
Attendees could also anonymously write on a card what the show meant to them. While some responses were lighthearted, others showed the importance of representation.
“A lot of people also wrote about what it meant to them to see the show display non-toxic masculinity, what it meant to see the queer and AAPI representation and the importance of representing queer joy rather than just queer trauma,” Nuñez says.
Nuñez, who previously hosted a JFK Jr. lookalike contest at D.C.’s Barrel House, is now bringing the fun to Chicago: a Heated Rivalry lookalike contest is planned for April 26 at My Buddy’s. The event will again pair a Shane Hollander and an Ilya Rozanov. If you’re more a Kip Grady–Scott Hunter storyline loyalist, another D.C. lookalike contest is in the works for May from Nuñez and Bayton.
“To anyone who is looking for the courage to be their authentic selves and yearn and be in love, I hope this whole story gives them a little bit of hope,” Nuñez says.
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