Bob Dylan Fully Acted Out His Role in ‘A Complete Unknown’ Before Approving the Biopic Script

Bob Dylan had a significant role in ‘A Complete Unknown’, even though Timothée Chalamet ended up playing the main character. Producer Peter Jaysen claims that Dylan and director James Mangold collaborated extensively, going over the entire script together. Dylan and Mangold read the screenplay aloud during a multi-session session, with Dylan reading only the dialogue intended for his character and Mangold acting out all the parts and stage directions. Throughout this process, Dylan also made suggestions on the script, and at the conclusion of their last meeting, he signed it with the words, “Go with God.”

Dylan’s contribution was vital even if he did not have the ultimate cut over the movie. In the past, Chalamet had stated that Dylan went over the script line by line and made a joke about Mangold having an annotated copy of the script, which he hoped to see but probably would never. Mangold expressed his opinion that Dylan’s participation was necessary to comprehend the actors and the direction of the movie, questioning whether the filmmakers had comprehended his vision and plot.

Image Courtesy: People

Dylan’s significant transition from acoustic to electric guitar in the 1960s, which caused controversy among both fans and critics, is the main subject of the movie. The movie, which was based on ‘Dylan Goes Electric!’ by Elijah Wald, had Dylan as an executive producer.

It’s also interesting to note that Dylan insisted on having at least one completely false scene in the movie. The movie had its US premiere in December and will be released in the UK in January. 

Jaysen is working on movies about Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett and ‘The Mamas & The Papas’ Cass Elliot in addition to ‘A Complete Unknown’.

–Farheen Ali