Timothée Chalamet’s Shockingly Long Fingernails in ‘A Complete Unknown’ Are Truly His Own
In ‘A Complete Unknown’, Timothée Chalamet went above and beyond in his representation of Bob Dylan by even attending to his personal hygiene. The 28-year-old actor said he grew out his fingernails for the part in an interview with Fandango that was posted on TikTok. He described how his nails became stronger over time, chipping at first but eventually becoming “claws” by the end of the shoot.
Chalamet did, in fact, grow out his nails while filming, according to co-star Elle Fanning, who portrays a character modelled after Dylan’s former fiancée Suze Rotolo. Chalamet’s change was also discussed by director James Mangold, who made a lighthearted comparison between his nails and a vampire’s talons, especially when they grew longer over the movie.
Image Courtesy: People
Chalamet’s nails have generated a lot of internet debate, with one TikTok video about them receiving close to a million views. Although the reason behind Dylan’s long fingernails in real life is unclear, one idea holds that it was to facilitate his guitar plucking or strumming, a technique other musicians use.
Chalamet’s commitment to the part extended beyond his manicures. In order to depict the passage of time, he had more than 60 clothing changes, wore a minor nose prosthetic, and had varying sideburn lengths. During the film’s press tour, he also kept up his Dylan impression by dressing like him at a premiere and even going to a 2003 festival event where Dylan appeared.
Image Courtesy: People
Chalamet put a lot of effort into learning how to play the guitar and harmonica and honing his vocals for the part during the COVID-19 and industry strikes that delayed the film’s production. The actor describes the encounter as extremely personal and has held it near to his heart despite all the work that went into his metamorphosis. Although he would rather not go into too much detail, he revealed that it was enchanted to be transported back in time for the movie.
–Farheen Ali
