Timothée Chalamet Says He Prepared to Play Bob Dylan for 5 Years, Talks How It Affected Him 'Psychologically'

Mar. 15, 2025

Timothée Chalamet forRolling Stone’s December 2024 issue; Bob Dylan in January 1964.Photo:Aidan Zamiri/Rolling Stone

Aidan Zamiri/Rolling Stone

Timothée Chalamethas been channelingBob Dylanfor quite a while — half a decade, in fact.

The 28-year-old actor, who stars as the legendary folksinger in the biographical dramaA Complete Unknown, graces the December cover ofRolling Stone, where he discusses taking on the mantle of a young Dylan, now 83, in the upcoming film.

“It was something I would go to sleep panicked about, losing a moment of discovery as the character — no matter how pretentious that sounds — because I was on my phone or because of any distraction," he said. “I had three months of my lifeto play Bob Dylan, after five years of preparing to play him. So while I was in it, that was my eternal focus.”

“He deserved that and then more,” Chalamet continued. “God forbid I missed a step because I was being Timmy. I could be Timmy for the rest of my life!”

TheAcademy Awardnominee went on, “I had to push the preparation, the bounds, almost to psychologicallyknowI had pushed it.”

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Timothée Chalamet forRolling Stone’s December 2024 issue.Aidan Zamiri/Rolling Stone

Chalamet also reflected on parallels between his career and Dylan’s, and how he could relate to the folk rocker’s journey in a way.

“If he couldn’t becomeElvisorBuddy Hollyimmediately, he foundWoody Guthrieand stuff that was a little more accomplishable, and happened to be really good at it,” he said of Dylan.

For Chalamet, that particular aspect of the musician’s past “immediately hit a bone with me,” the New York City native said.

“I was knocking on one door that wouldn’t open. So I went to what I thought was a more humble door [with indie roles], but actually ended up being explosive for me,” he added.

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Timothée Chalamet on the cover ofRolling Stone’s December 2024 issue.Aidan Zamiri/Rolling Stone

Fanning —who plays Sylvie Russo, a character based on the real-life Suze Rotolo, Dylan’s girlfriend and muse in the early ’60s — also spoke toRolling Stonefor Chalamet’s cover story, reflecting on hearing him sing live as Dylan for the first time.

“We were in an auditorium, and I was sitting amongst all these background artists. Jim would let Timmy come out andgive the crowd a whole concert," she recalled. “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,” added Fanning, 26. “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.”

A Complete Unknownis in theaters Dec. 25.

source: people.com