Timothée Chalamet Talks Preparation On Bringing Bob Dylan To Life In “A Complete Unknown”
Timothée Chalamet has spent half a decade preparing to embody one of music’s greatest icons: Bob Dylan. Now, the 28-year-old actor is ready to show the world his take on the legendary folk singer in the upcoming biographical drama, A Complete Unknown.
Gracing the December cover of Rolling Stone, Timothée opened up about the intense process of transforming into a young Bob. The role demanded not just talent but a level of focus that bordered on obsession. “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. I had three months of my life to play Bob Dylan after five years of preparing to play him. So while I was in it, that was my eternal focus.”
He emphasized the responsibility he felt toward the music icon, saying, “He deserved that and then more. God forbid I missed a step because I was being Timmy. I could be Timmy for the rest of my life!”
Timothée revealed that his preparation went beyond memorizing lines and learning Bob’s mannerisms. “I had to push the preparation, the bounds, almost to psychologically know I had pushed it,” he said. His commitment to the role was rooted in a deep respect for Dylan’s journey — a journey he saw parallels with in his own career.
Reflecting on Bob’s early struggles, Timothée said, “If he couldn’t become Elvis or Buddy Holly immediately, he found Woody Guthrie and stuff that was a little more accomplishable, and happened to be really good at it.”
“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 explained.
A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, dives into Bob’s arrival in New York City at the age of 19 in the early 1960s. The film showcases his journey as a rising star in the folk scene and his connection with the people who shaped him during that transformative period.
Elle Fanning, who plays Sylvie Russo — a character inspired by Bob’s real-life girlfriend and muse Suze Rotolo — recalled the electrifying moment she first saw Timothée perform as Dylan. “We were in an auditorium, and I was sitting amongst all these background artists. Jim [Mangold] would let Timmy come out and give the crowd a whole concert,” she shared.
Hearing him sing iconic songs like Masters of War and A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall left a lasting impression. “All of us were kind of shaking because it was so surreal hearing someone do that,” Elle said, adding, “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.”
With a cast that includes Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, and Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown promises to be a cinematic event. The film lands in theaters on December 25, giving audiences a front-row seat to the making of a legend — and to Timothée’s most ambitious performance yet.
