`Pedro Pascal Lookalike Contest Winner Surprises Everyone on The Daily Show
In a hilarious turn of events, the winner of a recent Pedro Pascal lookalike contest turned out to be none other than a staff member of The Daily Show. George Gountas, a lighting designer for the popular Comedy Central program, won the competition and subsequently became the subject of his own interview with host Jon Stewart.
From Behind the Scenes to Center Stage
Gountas’ appearance on the show revealed an amusing workplace connection that even Stewart admitted he hadn’t noticed before. “I never realized you looked like Pedro Pascal,” Stewart confessed at the start of the interview, setting the tone for a lighthearted conversation about Gountas’ unexpected brush with celebrity status.
The lighting designer explained how he came to enter the contest, revealing that it was actually his stage manager colleague, Tyler Goldman, who encouraged him to participate with the promise of “a year of free burritos” as the prize. Gountas described how he quickly assembled his Pascal-inspired look with help from his neighbor, a stylist who provided pants, shoes, and glasses, leaving only the shirt for him to find himself.
The Winning Moment
What makes Gountas’ story particularly amusing is that he didn’t even officially sign up for the contest beforehand. He simply showed up, and according to him, everyone present immediately recognized his strong resemblance to the Last of Us and Mandalorian star. “They told me I was going to win as soon as I walked in,” Gountas recalled with a laugh during the interview.
The conversation took a humorous turn when Stewart asked about their respective ages. Gountas revealed he was turning 43 the following week, while Pascal is actually 50 (born in 1975). This prompted Stewart to jokingly declare Gountas “a sexier, younger Pedro Pascal,” a compliment the lighting designer happily accepted.
A Resemblance Years in the Making
In related coverage by the New York Post, Gountas’ wife Jenny Gania shared that people first started noticing her husband’s resemblance to Pascal after Game of Thrones aired, where Pascal played the memorable character Oberyn Martell. “Then some kids started noting it too,” Gania added, explaining how she ultimately convinced her husband to enter the contest as a Father’s Day treat.
The entire episode serves as a delightful reminder of how unexpected moments can turn ordinary people into temporary celebrities. For Gountas, what began as a joke among coworkers turned into a memorable television appearance and a year’s supply of burritos – certainly not a bad deal for someone who was just doing his job behind the scenes.
Final Thoughts
This charming story highlights how celebrity lookalike contests can sometimes uncover surprising connections in the most unexpected places. It’s particularly amusing that someone working behind the camera on a major television show could step into the spotlight simply by resembling a famous actor. The fact that Gountas’ coworkers didn’t initially notice the resemblance adds to the humor of the situation. Stories like this remind us that sometimes the most entertaining moments happen when we least expect them, and that talent and resemblance can be found in the most ordinary workplaces. Who knows – maybe your office has its own celebrity doppelgänger waiting to be discovered!
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