Timothée Chalamet, now 29, once harbored reservations about embarking on an acting career. Raised amidst the bustling creativity of New York City, where aspiring talents abound, he was acutely aware of the relentless struggles many actors confront in their quest for success. In a recent episode of 60 Minutes, while engaging in a conversation with Anderson Cooper, they ventured into a Theatre District building where Chalamet once resided – a rent-subsidized haven for artists.
"This very building instilled a sense of dread in me regarding acting, as it highlights a demanding lifestyle where many falter," Chalamet confessed. Cooper speculated that growing up in such an art-infused milieu would naturally "spur" Chalamet towards the arts. Paradoxically, for Chalamet, it had quite the opposite effect.
"It actually filled me with terror at the prospect of becoming an actor," reminisced the star of Wonka. Despite his family's deep roots in the arts, with his mother as a dancer and his sister, Pauline Chalamet, also treading the boards and achieving recognition for her role in The Sex Lives of College Girls, Chalamet's father advised him to "lead a normal life."
"Acting isn't a world for children. It really isn't," Chalamet asserted, painting a picture of cameras focusing and people calling out, "'Hey, do that cute thing we love about you!'"
Yet, destiny had other plans for Chalamet, who ultimately chose to plunge into the arts and has since become a renowned name. His career has been adorned with two Oscar nominations – one for his performance in Call Me by Your Name (2017) and another more recently for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, a role that garnered him widespread acclaim.
The promotional tour for the biopic stirred considerable social media buzz. Prior to the film's Christmas release, Dylan himself took to Twitter to commend Chalamet for embodying his role. "Timmy's a brilliant actor, so I'm confident he'll bring authenticity to my portrayal," Dylan tweeted.
While a face-to-face encounter between Dylan and Chalamet remains unfulfilled, Chalamet humorously pondered that should they ever meet, he might steer the conversation away from the movie, aiming to "out-Bob Dylan him" by discussing mundane topics like "the weather" or his "favorite sandwich."
