Timothee Chalamet does not want to be called a “movie star”
Timothee Chalamet has emerged as one of the most iconic acting talents of his generation, known for his work on acclaimed projects such as Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird among others. Chalamet earned further praise for his involvement in one of the biggest projects of last year – Denis Villeneuve’s latest adaptation of Dune.
Chalamet delivered a strong performance as Paul Atreides, the heir to House Atreides whose entire world is destabilised. Since Villeneuve is planning on making a trilogy, Chalamet is expected to reprise his role as the filmmaker will focus on the evolution of Chalamet’s character while exploring the beautiful universe constructed by Frank Herbert.
Villeneuve was also impressed by the vulnerability in Chalamet’s approach to acting and publicly praised his work. In an interview for TIME magazine, Chalamet claimed that one of the central motivations of his acting work was to promote the expression of such vulnerabilities: “I feel like I’m here to show that to wear your heart on your sleeve is OK.”
Chalamet’s trailblazing journey in the world of cinema has been tracked by many but he insists that he is still learning new things. “I’m figuring it out,” Chalamet added while talking about his current situation. “On my worst days, I feel a tension in figuring it out. But on my best days, I feel like I’m growing right on time.”
Next year, Chalamet will follow in the footsteps of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp by taking on the challenge of playing Willy Wonka in a brand new musical by Paul King titled Wonka. Structured as a prequel to the famous novel by Roald Dahl, the upcoming project will feature Chalamet as a young Wonka and will chronicle his adventures.
Even though he has been subjected to immense fame and success, Chalamet has a repulsion towards the title of “movie star” which, according to him, signifies death. “I don’t want to say some vapid, self-effacing thing,” Chalamet claimed. “It’s a combination of luck and getting good advice early in my career not to pigeonhole myself.”
Over the course of his journey, Chalamet has drawn inspiration from various sources such as Michael B. Jordan, Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio among others (having worked with Lawrence and DiCaprio on Don’t Look Up). He revealed that he has a mantra which is also a personal reminder: “You’re just an actor!”
