BYU student hosts JFK Jr. celebrity look-alike contest

Paige Mortensen, a senior studying marketing at Brigham Young University, hosted Utah's first John F. Kennedy Jr. look-alike contest at City Creek Center in Salt Lake City on March 14.

Celebrity look-alike contests have gained popularity online in recent months, attracting large crowds in New York City. Since the FX show American Love Story debuted on Hulu earlier this year, finding the best John F. Kennedy Jr. look-alikes has become a widespread trend.

I really wanted to go to the one in New York and D.C. because they always have the most fun lookalike contests, Mortensen said.

Mortensen took to Instagram to advertise her own contest a couple weeks before the event.

The event was planned to take place at the City Creek Center outside the west section of the mall. The plans changed, however, as mall security informed Mortensen that she could not hold the event in the middle of the fountain area, and it needed to be moved over by the street.

Mortensen and others worried that the location change would affect the turnout, but by the time the event started, there was a large crowd gathered together. Many people in attendance were good friends of Mortensens. However, some had just come across her post through Instagram organically and decided to show up and see what it was all about.

Ava Cordero, a full-time nanny living in the Provo area, saw the post on Instagram. Cordero already followed one of the contestants, and when he reposted Mortensen's announcement, Cordero decided she wanted to come.

I was like, say less because JFK is like my ideal type. So, of course, I'm gonna go because if there are other guys that look like JFK there, then obviously I wouldn't be mad, Cordero said.

Once the event started, a large group of lookalikes stood in front of the crowd. The final three had to compete for the prize by walking through the crowd in JFK Jr. style.

The winner was the last man to join the competition because he arrived late. Nick Romney, from San Diego, California, said multiple people had sent him the flyer online, but he has never actually seen the show "American Love Story."

I just looked at some fit pics, and my sister told me to wear a navy suit. There were some other good contestants, so I have to say that everyone did a great job, Romney said.

While Romney walked away with a $50 check, Mortensen walked away with something else in mind. As she wraps up her time living in Utah, she shared that she feels it's important to go for the things you want to do in life.

I think it's just really important when you want to do something, you do it. All you really need is one friend to buy in and just do it. As long as you have one friend, then you are always going to have a good time, regardless of who shows up, Mortensen said.

Mortensen plans on hosting many more events like this, as she said she is in her "event-planning era." Her goal is to meet new people and be the kind of person who brings others together.