In an emotionally charged revelation, Timothée Chalamet admitted to shedding tears after performing as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s upcoming biopic, A Complete Unknown. The 28-year-old actor, who portrays Dylan during his transformative years from 1961 to 1965, shared his profound connection to the legendary artist’s music during an interview on The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music 1.
A Raw and Dignified Approach
Timothée Chalamet described his first performance on set, singing Song to Woody live in an intimate hospital room scene featuring Edward Norton as Pete Seeger and another actor as Woody Guthrie. “It was one of Dylan’s earliest and most personal songs,” Timothée Chalamet recalled. “I went home and cried that night—not for dramatics, but because it was a deeply humbling experience.”
The actor revealed his commitment to authenticity, explaining that every song in the film was performed live, abandoning pre-recorded studio tracks. “It felt like throwing a finely crafted porcelain dish every time we decided not to use those studio takes,” he noted. “But the live recordings had a certain rawness, a texture that captured Dylan’s essence.”
By the end of production, Timothée Chalamet had mastered over 30 of Dylan’s songs, though only 13 made it into the film. He praised the process as “the most dignified work” of his career, likening the experience to the biographical undertakings of acting greats like Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Fan Reactions and Anticipation
Fans have lauded Timothée Chalamet performance, with one comment from the trailer noting, “His voice sounds just like Dylan’s!” The buzz surrounding his portrayal adds to the growing anticipation for A Complete Unknown, which is set to debut in the U.S. on December 25, followed by a U.K. release on January 17.
As Timothée Chalamet breathes new life into the iconic singer-songwriter’s early career, the film promises to offer an intimate and powerful exploration of Bob Dylan’s artistic evolution.
