Being Bob Dylan isn’t any simple activity. For Timothée Chalamet, turning into the enigmatic genius on the set of James Mangold’s “A Full Unknown” required a robust self-discipline that meant separating himself from the current day and immersing himself fully within the Sixties world they had been creating. That meant no cell telephones, no associates or household displaying as much as snap pics with Edward Norton, and a dedication to Dylan’s persona that pushed different forged to additional embrace the figures they had been enjoying. In an interview with Rolling Stone, lately republished of their U.Ok. journal, Chalamet gave credit score to older co-stars he’d watched as his profession developed and the tone they set for others.
“The nice actors I’ve labored with, Christian Bale on ‘Hostiles’ or Oscar Isaac on ‘Dune,’ had been ready to do this,” he mentioned, “and guard their course of, significantly for one thing that’s actually like a tightrope stroll.”
Chalamet understands the significance of protecting issues close-to-the-chest, particularly at this level in his profession, the place fame appears to be chasing him round each nook with lookalike contests and fervent questioning with regard to his relationship with Kylie Jenner. This was an enormous cause why he felt the necessity to maintain himself separated as he labored on “A Full Unknown” and to make it really feel like “when individuals aren’t interested in the way you go about your work, as a result of they don’t recognized who you’re but. Which is how the expertise was for me on ‘Name Me by Your Title.’”
Getting into the position of people music bulwark Pete Seeger, Norton solely had two months to arrange after stepping in for Benedict Cumberbatch who needed to drop out. Regardless of the minimal time, as soon as he began working with Chalamet, he additionally absorbed the power put out by him and felt it assist obtain the general vibe the movie was working to create.
“He was relentless. No guests, no associates, no reps, no nothing. ‘No person comes round us whereas we’re doing this.’ We’re attempting to do one of the best we will with one thing that’s so totemic and sacrosanct to many individuals,” mentioned Norton. “And I agreed completely — it was like, ‘We can’t have a fucking viewers for this. We’ve bought to consider to the best diploma we will.’ And he was proper to be that protecting.”
It wasn’t so severe that Chalamet was going Technique and having everybody name him ‘Bob,’ however at some stage in filming, he did really feel it was important to provide his full focus to the position.
“It was one thing I’d fall asleep panicked about, shedding a second of discovery because the character — irrespective of how pretentious that sounds — as a result of I used to be on my telephone or due to any distraction,” Chalamet mentioned to Rolling Stone U.Ok. “I had three months of my life to play Bob Dylan, after 5 years of making ready to play him. So whereas I used to be in it, that was my everlasting focus. He deserved that after which extra. God forbid I missed a step as a result of I used to be being Timmy. I could possibly be Timmy for the remainder of my life!”
He added later, “With consideration or no matter, it’s such as you gotta be additional cautious. And likewise not take your self so fucking critically. Simply take pleasure in life.”
Classes nicely discovered it appears, as Chalamet is at the moment on observe for his second Academy Award nomination for Greatest Actor and potential first win.
Searchlight Photos releases “A Full Unknown” in theaters on December 25.