Timothée Chalamet wants to be the big guy. In February, after winning the SAG Awards for his role in “A Complete Stranger,” the actor shed his false modesty and said in all words that he intends to be among the best actors of all time.
“Marty Supreme,” scheduled to debut at the end of January, is perhaps the greatest reflection of his ambition.
“Brazil seems to me an ideal place to present an energetic film like this. It is a country with a very special energy,” the young star said at an event for press and guests held at the BTG Pactual Hall Theater in São Paulo.
On this occasion, an excerpt from the film was shown, and broadcaster Aline Deniz conducted a dialogue with him and director Josh Safdie.
The duo came to Brazil to participate in a panel discussion on production at CCXP25, which will take place on Friday (5).
In the film, Chalamet replaces the nonchalance of Bob Dylan — the singer who earned him his most recent Oscar nomination — with the energy of Marty Mauser, a 1950s table-tennis player who rubs his talent in everyone’s faces.
Paying homage to the tradition of films directed by Josh with his brother Benny — who this year credited the boxing debut of “Fighter’s Heart” as a solo director — “Marty Supreme” transforms New York into a chaotic metropolis, where post-World War II conflicts invade the ping-pong arenas and tension grips the streets.
Conflicts arise frequently and the athlete’s arrogance brings him a series of enemies. It’s the perfect place to explore the ambition that has made Chalamet one of the most talked-about names in recent awards seasons.
“Marty is someone who won’t take no for an answer. I was attracted to the idea of making a movie, which is rare now in the American industry, that is specifically about the idea of dreaming big,” the actor said in quick sentences.
He speaks as fast as a ping pong ball and apologizes before continuing. “Without wanting to disrespect my previous films, Marty Supreme is not a project about everyday people,” he says quietly and emphatically.
The actor also compared the size of New York to the size of São Paulo and described the table tennis feuds as a metaphor for the challenges posed by capitalism.
In 2018, Chalamet was nominated for his first Academy Award for the first lead role of his career – Elio, a young man in love in “Call Me By Your Name.”
The second nomination came only in 2024, when the actor played the role of singer Bob Dylan. In between the two feuds — he was defeated in both — he became the face of the franchises and worked with Hollywood darlings.
When director Denis Villeneuve gave a new look to the fantasy world of Dune, the artist became Paul Atreides’ messiah and spread his doctrines all over movie theaters, the box office and social media.
In lighter realms, he played chocolatier Willy Wonka, in a musical explaining the origins of the creator of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and played an anarchic student in geometrically calculated environments by Wes Anderson.
“My daughter asked me to keep Wonka in mind when working with Chalamet,” Safdie joked. “I can see the magic of Wonka in Marty, and the way they both know how to sell their dreams.”
The actor also renewed his partnership with Greta Gerwig, with whom he worked on “Lady Bird,” an adaptation of the classic literary novel “Little Women.” Both productions competed for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Success after success, Chalamet became the rage. Today, on the eve of announcements that will reveal nominees for the upcoming Critics’ Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards — those selected for the Oscars won’t be announced until January 22, the same date “Marty Supreme” arrives in Brazil — he’s making jackets and other special products from the film into widespread advertising.
This Thursday (4), shortly after arriving in São Paulo, he visited a temporary store set up in the Bella Vista neighborhood and made queues of fans waiting for several hours. Among the giant ping pong balls and other personalized clothing, the actor “walked into the crowd with a smile on his face and took pictures with several lucky people.
Later, he stunned the audience at the BTG Pactual Hall when he appeared on stage dressed in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
It is still too early to know whether the applause he received in São Paulo will celebrate the artist’s next Oscar win, which will take place in March 2026.
At the same time, one of Safdie’s statements seems to be good wisdom. “When I think about the path of great athletes, like those in Brazil, I never care about the end. The important thing is the dream.”