Timothée Chalamet Revealed That He Learned 30 Bob Dylan Songs for Upcoming Biopic
Timothée Chalamet revealed that he learned to play 30 Bob Dylan songs in preparation for his role as the legendary folk musician in the upcoming biopic. The Dune star will portray the music icon in A Complete Unknown, a film that will focus on Dylan’s controversial transition from acoustic to electric guitar in the mid-’60s. The movie is set to be released in US theaters on December 25, with a UK release following on January 17.
Last month, the first full trailer for the film was unveiled, featuring a scene from Dylan’s notorious 1965 Newport Folk Festival performance, where he was booed for shifting from folk music to a more rock-influenced sound.
In a recent interview with The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music 1, Chalamet discussed the extensive preparation he underwent to portray the iconic singer, including learning to play 30 of Dylan’s songs.
He said that for the movie, he had to learn around 13 songs, but in total, he could probably play about 30. He mentioned that Tim Monich was the dialect coach he worked with for years on the project, and he also trained with a harmonica coach for five years. Additionally, he worked with Polly Bennett, a movement coach, with whom he found that they gained more from working on the script together than focusing on physicality.
For his own preparation, he explained that he retraced Bob Dylan’s steps through Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin, starting in Hibbing and Duluth. He spent about a week in the area of Minnesota where Dylan grew up, describing it as a way to gather his spirit, for lack of a better metaphor.
Timothée went on to explain that performing Dylan’s songs live on set was where he felt most confident. He mentioned that while it was the most unique challenge he had ever faced, his confidence came through when he was able to perform all the music live.
The actor also shared that he could relate to Dylan’s ambition to become a big star. He said that although it might seem unusual, he could connect with some of the experiences Dylan went through. He explained that Bob Dylan wanted to be a rock and roll star, citing figures like Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley, who represented the pop rock and roll music that was marketed to kids in the late ’50s. He added that, similarly, he wanted to be a big movie actor.
Recently, Chalamet shared a preview of the film by releasing his version of one of Dylan’s most iconic tracks, ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues,’ from the 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. He said that his version of the song was impressive, and the accompanying video showed him recreating Dylan’s famous promo, where he discards cue cards with the lyrics. The video also featured behind-the-scenes footage and clips of him in character.
Edward Norton stars in A Complete Unknown as folk singer Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning plays Dylan’s girlfriend Sylvie Russo, and Monica Barbaro portrays Joan Baez.
He mentioned that the film is directed by James Mangold, who also directed the acclaimed Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. He added that Mangold co-wrote the film with Jay Cocks, known for Gangs of New York and The Age of Innocence.
In a separate interview, he said that alongside his Dune: Part Two co-star Austin Butler, he would have loved for Butler’s portrayal of Elvis Presley from Elvis to appear in A Complete Unknown.
In other news, he recently attended a lookalike competition in New York City, where around 900 people competed to resemble him. He said that the winner received a cash prize of $50 (£39) and a trophy, though it was unclear whether he himself was eligible to win.
–Silviya.Y
