Timothée Chalamet may be one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, known for Dune, Call Me by Your Name, and Little Women, but his journey to success was anything but conventional. It might be hard to believe–especially since the internet has been swooning over Chalamet and Barry Keoghan for some time. But as someone with a lean physique and unique aesthetic, he often found himself receiving feedback early in his career that didn’t quite align with his vision of himself as an actor. In a recent discussion promoting his 2024 movie schedule release, the upcoming A Complete Unknown, the Bones and All star opened up about the very real pressures that even male actors face regarding body image in Hollywood.
Though it’s often female actors who publicly discuss body standards in the entertainment industry, in a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, the French Dispatch alum shared how, early in his career, he felt pushed toward a more muscular, stereotypical leading-man look. Reflecting on that experience, the Wonka actor shared the feedback he’d received:
If I auditioned for The Maze Runner or Divergent, things of that variety that were popping when I was coming up, the feedback was always, ‘Oh, you don’t have the right body.’ I had an agent that called me and said, ‘You got to like, put on weight,’ basically – not aggressively, but you know.
These roles may have been popular for the Beautiful Boy actor, but they weren’t a perfect fit. Instead of changing his body to meet Hollywood’s expectations, the Homeland veteran actor carved his own path, focusing on projects that aligned more closely with his interests and values. He quickly found his niche in films that prioritized story and character over physical appearance, allowing him to create a distinctive, personal style that fans and critics alike have come to admire. He continued:
I found my way into these very personalized movies. For [Bob Dylan], it was folk music. He couldn’t keep a rock and roll band because they would all get hired by other kids that had more money, literally, in Minnesota. So, for me, it was finding a very personal style movie like Call Me by Your Name or Beautiful Boy or Lady Bird or Little Women [or] Miss Stevens and Hot Summer Nights. Those were smaller budget, but very – I don’t know how else to put it – personable movies that started in this theater space. This is where I found my rhythm, my confidence, my flow, whatever you want to call it.
It’s no surprise, then, that the Interstellar performer was drawn to his latest role as music icon Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic. Just as Dylan defied expectations in the music world, the Manhattan-born A-lister has built a career in projects challenging traditional Hollywood standards. Rather than focus on his physicality, he has leaned into complex, nuanced roles that allow him to explore a broad emotional range. His portrayal of Dylan seems to embody this philosophy, bringing to life a figure who, like himself, forged his own path against the grain.
Embracing his unique style and focusing on roles that offer something different seems to have been a winning formula for Chalamet, as he has become one of the most in-demand actors in recent years. He’s not only carved out his own space in Hollywood but has also opened doors for future performers who may not fit the traditional mold–and I’m here for it. And if the trailer to A Complete Unknown is anything to go by, he will give audiences a chance to see him tackle yet another iconic figure on his own terms, bringing authenticity and depth to his portrayal of the folk icon.
A Complete Unknown releases in theaters on December December 25, 2024. For fans wanting to see Timothée Chalamet in a more action-oriented role, both Dune & Dune: Part II are available to stream with a Max subscription.