Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Complete Unknown’ Co-Stars Praise Actor’s Singing, Recall His Method Process of Becoming Bob Dylan

Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Complete Unknown’ Co-Stars Praise Actor’s Singing, Recall His Method Process of Becoming Bob Dylan

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for movies and music, I can’t help but be utterly captivated by Timothée Chalamet’s transformation into Bob Dylan for James Mangold’s upcoming film, A Complete Unknown. The way he channeled the legendary singer-songwriter was nothing short of astounding; so much so that it sparked debates on set about whether he was lip-syncing or not.


In the movie “A Complete Unknown,” directed by James Mangold, Timothée Chalamet convincingly sang Bob Dylan’s songs, causing confusion on set as some thought he might be lip-syncing. Additionally, Chalamet employed the Method acting technique to maintain his character immersion.

In the article for Rolling Stone that was released on Monday, Elle Fanning, one of Timothée Chalamet’s co-stars, shared a memory about him singing like Bob Dylan during filming.

“We were in an auditorium, and I was sitting amongst all these background artists. Jim would let Timmy come out and give the crowd a whole concert. He was singing ‘Masters of War’ and ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,’ and I was like, ‘Jesus.’ All of us were kind of shaking, because it was so surreal hearing someone do that. So perfectly done, but it wasn’t a caricature. It was still Timmy, but it’s Bob, and this kind of beautiful meld. That gave me chills.”

Later on, Fanning admitted that she had heard some of the background actors discussing if Chalamet was lip-synching: “I nudged them and said, ‘He’s actually singing. I can confirm he’s singing!’

According to Chalamet’s co-stars, he dedicated himself to fully embodying Dylan for his part in Mangold’s upcoming movie about the renowned songwriter and artist, by consistently immersing himself in all things related to Dylan.

Before starting the filming, Fanning learned that Chalamet might prefer to stay secluded on set. She remembered an instance when Chalamet was addressed as “Bob Dylan” in the call sheet prior to production. Fanning shared that she had been asked to meet Mangold and “Bob” during pre-production, which led her to believe she would be meeting the actual Bob Dylan.

Fanning had been pondering over what to say and ask, as well as deciding on her outfit,” she shared. “Excitedly, she thought, ‘I’m meeting Bob Dylan today!’ However, it turned out later that she was actually scheduled to meet Chalamet, not the real Dylan.

Wasn’t I the one who had the unique experience of being disappointed after rehearsing with Timothée Chalamet? I guess you could say I was the initial female in history to have that happen.” (She joked.)

On set, Chalamet tended to immerse himself deeply, much like how Bob Dylan might have done. This solitude, as observed by Monica Barbaro (who plays Joan Baez), greatly contributed to the relationship between their characters. During breaks in filming, Barbaro remembered director Mangold pointing out that Chalamet was occasionally slipping back into his natural voice, prompting them to stop conversing.

Nevertheless, Barbaro pointed out that Chalamet’s Method acting wasn’t extremely intense. She clarified, “It wasn’t about avoiding eye contact or anything like that. We greeted each other casually, exchanging a friendly hug. I exclaimed, ‘I just watched Dune!’

Simultaneously, Edward Norton, Chalamet’s fellow actor, described him as tenacious when it came to maintaining his character’s immersion: “He wouldn’t allow visitors, friends, representatives, or anyone else. ‘Nobody disturbs us while we’re working on this.’ We were attempting to do justice to something that holds immense significance and reverence for many. I fully concurred – we couldn’t have an audience for this. We needed to believe as deeply as possible. And he was correct to be so protective.

Timothée Chalamet acknowledged his past co-stars, such as Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, for showing him how to establish the right atmosphere on set. He explained, “Actors I’ve had the pleasure of working with, like Christian Bale in ‘Hostiles’ or Oscar Isaac in ‘Dune’, were capable of doing that.” According to him, they managed to maintain their focus, especially when it was like walking a tightrope.

He mentioned he’d often worry before sleeping about it, ‘losing a precious moment of discovery as the character,’ as it seemed, even if it sounds pretentious. It was on his phone or any distraction that made him miss out on this time. For three months, he had been preparing to portray Bob Dylan, and after five years of preparation, he finally got the chance. So while he was in the role, he gave it his undivided attention. He felt he owed that much to the character and more… Heaven forbid he made a mistake because he was being distracted as Timmy. He could be Timmy for the rest of his life!

A Complete Unknown will hit theaters on Dec. 25.

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2024-11-18 21:24