Taking home the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown,’ Chalamet described the role as the “honor of a lifetime.”
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Timothée Chalamet’s Long and Intense Journey for Preparing the Role
Timothee’s dedication to the performance has been widely praised, and with an Academy Award nomination now in the mix, his pursuit of cinematic excellence shows no signs of slowing down.
Despite falling short at both the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, where ‘The Brutalist’ star Adrien Brody took the top honor, the young actor’s SAG-AFTRA win was a moment of validation.
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“I was not expecting this at all, truly. The classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much it means to me but the truth is, this was five and a half years of my life and I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan,” he said. “A true American hero and it was the honor of a lifetime, playing him. It’s an honor I share with Monica L. Edward, the whole cast, in a genre that’s perhaps tired, everyone gave it their all.”
Timothee, beyond Bob Dylan’s role, is chasing something bigger and that is making his place among the all-time greats. He openly admitted his ambition to be recognized alongside acting legends like Marlon Brando and Daniel Day-Lewis.
“I can’t downplay the significance of this award, because it means the most to me. I know we’re in a subjective business but the truth is I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” he added. “I know people don’t usually talk like that but I want to be one of the greats, inspired by the greats, the greats here tonight, I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis as I am of Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there.”
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A Speech That Struck a Chord
For Chalamet, this award isn’t just a trophy, it’s a “little more ammo.” His speech resonated deeply with fans, many of whom believe he’s well on his way to becoming an all-timer.
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“This mentality is crazy. He is going to retire as an all-timer,” one wrote. Another added, “The way he’s actually on his way to becoming one of the greatest too.”
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A third wrote, “Went all Whiplash. He will be one of the greats and I hope he gets that Oscar over Brody. I do think he was slightly better.”
But the road to Oscar glory isn’t without obstacles. Standing in Timothee’s way is Brody, who could secure his second Academy Award after his iconic win for The Pianist in 2003.
Also vying for the top honor are Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), making this one of the most competitive races in recent memory.
