Timothée Chalamet is gracing the silver screen once again in a new Bob Dylan biopic directed by the Oscar-nominated filmmaker James Mangold.
Premiering in theatres across the UK today (January 17), A Complete Unknown features Chalamet portraying a young Bob Dylan, at age 19, as he embarks on what would become his illustrious career in New York City.
The actor, celebrated for his role in Dune, has led an array of major films in recent years, but this portrayal, based on a true story, stands as one of his most significant undertakings. Throughout promotional interviews for the film, Chalamet disclosed that he dedicated five years to training for the part before shooting commenced in Spring 2024.
As cinema enthusiasts prepare to witness the 29-year-old’s representation of the legendary singer-songwriter, we delve into his personal and professional journey thus far.
Early Years
Born in December 1995 in the heart of New York, Chalamet grew up under the care of his mother, Nicole Flender, and father, Marc Chalamet, who is native to France, together with his older sister and fellow actress, Pauline.
The family resided in Manhattan Plaza, a complex known for its history of celebrity residents including Alicia Keys.
In an amusing exchange on The Graham Norton Show, Chalamet was caught off guard upon discovering that actor and playwright Colman Domingo, famed for his work in Rustin, had lived in the same housing complex during Chalamet’s childhood. Expressing his disbelief, the acclaimed actor enthusiastically repeated, “No way.”
He entertained the Graham Norton Show’s audience by sharing stories of his unique upbringing, saying: “That building I grew up in is like, respectfully, super strange, it’s like filled with mimes.”
While growing up immersed in the arts, it wasn’t until he experienced Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Dark Knight at age 12 that Chalamet felt the pull towards acting.
“We went to AMC Empire 25 in Times Square for a 7:30 screening. I left that theatre a changed man, and I’m serious about that. Heath Ledger’s performance in that film was visceral and viral to me, and I now had the acting bug,” he shared as a vivid memory during his New York Film Critics Circle Awards speech in 2018.
A student of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Chalamet graduated in 2013 and soon saw his career take flight, reports the Mirror.
Wondering where you recognise Timothée Chalamet from?
The critically acclaimed actor received high praise for his breakthrough role in the Luca Guadagnino-directed film Call Me By Your Name, which was released in 2017. Adapted from André Aciman’s novel, this movie rocketed him to stardom.
In the film, he plays Elio Perlman, a 17-year-old enraptured by Oliver (played by Armie Hammer), an academic intern staying at his parents’ home. Their ensuing tempestuous relationship profoundly impacts his life.
Chalamet’s performance mesmerised audiences, ultimately earning him his first and so far only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
After the success of Guadagnino’s film, his career soared. In 2017, he also starred in Greta Gerwig’s semi-autobiographical comedy Lady Bird, sharing the screen with Saoirse Ronan.
In the following year, he acted alongside Steve Carrell in Beautiful Boy, playing real-life father and son David and Nic Sheff. In 2019, he appeared in Netflix’s Shakespearean adaptation, The King, with Robert Pattinson and Lily-Rose Depp.
Other significant films from the New Yorker include Gerwig’s Little Women, Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One and Part Two.
According to IMDB, his next film, Marty Supreme, has already wrapped up production and is due to premiere this year.
A-list romances
Chalamet is currently dating fellow A-lister Kylie Jenner. Their relationship, which reportedly began in 2023, has been kept relatively private despite their high-profile statuses.
Speculation about their romance started in April 2023, when various sources reported that the couple had been seen on clandestine dates.
One of their early dates was reported by the Daily Mail, who revealed that Chalamet was spotted getting into Jenner’s car before stopping at a taco stand, where their security teams placed orders for them.
Since then, the pair have publicly backed each other at industry events, including the recent Golden Globe Awards, where Chalamet was nominated in the Best Performance by a Male Actor category. However, neither of the two stars has openly discussed their relationship.
Prior to his involvement with the Kardashian sister, Chalamet had relationships with actresses Lily-Rose Depp, Eiza Gonzalez and Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon, whom he met during their high school years.
A Complete Unknown is out in cinemas.