Timothée Chalamet revealed he “turned over every stone” to transform into Bob Dylan for his Oscar-nominated role in “A Complete Unknown.”
“I did all the work … physicality, behavior-wise. But something we haven’t really talked about, I also put on 20 pounds,” the actor said during the Jan. 20 episode of NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
The “Wonka” star explained why he had to pack on the pounds, saying, “Believe it or not, I was thinner than the guy, you know?”
“Thinner than Bob,” the film’s director, James Mangold, emphasized.
“You had to fatten up to become Bob Dylan. That’s hilarious,” host Alisa Chang added with a laugh.
Chalamet, 29, revealed his weight gain after Chang highlighted that he had to “sing like Dylan, talk like Dylan, play guitar like Dylan, play harmonica like him, walk and move like him.”
The “Dune” star — who was nominated in the best actor category at the Oscars — called his overall preparation to play Dylan a “process of osmosis.”
Although Chalamet has yet to meet Dylan, the “Blowin’ in the Wind” singer, 83, shared his support for the biopic in December 2024.
“Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me,” the iconic musician posted via X.
The actor gushed over the praise during the interview with NPR, saying, “I love that post. And I love that post ’cause it’s so in Bob’s voice.”
Chalamet and Mangold also discussed the decision to have the actors in the film sing live.
“This is a movie about folk music and folk musicians. The authenticity needs to be felt,” Chalamet explained.
Additionally, Chalamet said that if he ever got to meet Dylan he would simply express his gratitude for his catalog of music.
“I would just say thank you. And not thank you for the role, not thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for your work,” he said.
“A Complete Unknown” — also starring Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro — is in theaters now.
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