I have a tremendous amount of respect for Timothee Chalamet’s fearlessness. I know I keep writing about Chalamet, but it’s hard not to at this point. I really enjoyed listening to a recent podcast from @SeanFennessey in which Sean reviewed the year in film. Sean raised a point that really resonated with me, which is that Timothee is pathing a road of movie stardom that we’ve never really seen before.
I think the just the fact that Chalamet is willing to play Bob Dylan is maybe the superseding fact that establishes the conclusory statement I wrote above. Edward Norton, a personal favorite actor of mine, put it perfectly on Colbert the other night when he said that no one should play Bob Dylan. No one should try. But early reviews all indicate that Timothee broke the mold with his portrayal as Dylan: he took on a huge risk but somehow stuck the landing, which could make him the youngest actor to ever win the Oscar for Best Actor.
Chalamet’s not afraid to take risks & that’s undeniable. Bones & All is a film that itself takes chances & Chalamet is bold as hell. Wonka was an unimpeachable success. His performance in films like Lady Bird or The French Dispatch are brief but enhance two really good films. This is all without mentioning his iconic performances in the Dune series or his Oscar nominated performance in Call Me By Your Name. The point here is that Chalamet’s attaching himself to really creative projects with really creative directors, regardless of the risks. And that deserves praise.
Beyond his tremendous on-screen performances is his off-screen relatability. Chalamet’s press-tour for A Complete Unknown, including visiting my alma mater the University of Minnesota, makes Chalamet seem like a grounded guy. Going on College Game Day or hitting the podcast circuit and appearing totally relatable to your fans is not an easy thing to do for any actor. I give Chalamet even more credit for jumping into this media landscape wearing his own skin.
We’ve heard over & over for years that the movie star is dead. But Timothee Chalamet is showing everyone what a movie star in 2024 really looks like & he’s doing it his own way.
Scoot McNairy praises Timothée Chalamet’s performance in ‘A COMPLETE UNKNOWN’:
“I think the whole world is really excited to see this movie and to see what Timothée does with the role. I thought he did an absolutely exquisite job playing such an iconic character.”
(https://t.co/B8lCjilEw6)