Timothée Chalamet Has Heard Hours of Unreleased Bob Dylan Music

Timothée Chalamet has done extensive musical homework for his upcoming role as Bob Dylan in the much-anticipated biopic, ‘A Complete Unknown.’ In a chat with ‘Happy Sad Confused’s Josh Horowitz, the ‘Wonka’ star shared the inside scoop on the treasure trove of unreleased Bob Dylan tracks that have found their way into his hands.

According to Chalamet, Jeff Rosen, the longstanding manager of the legendary singer-songwriter, played the role of a musical fairy godfather by sending him a whopping 12-hour playlist. The playlist features unheard gems from Dylan’s archives, specifically recorded between 1959 and 1964.

In response to this generous gift, Chalamet acknowledged that such a revelation might not sit well with die-hard Bob fans, but he couldn’t help expressing his excitement. “I feel like I’m holding onto gold or something,” he told Horowitz.

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Highlighting the rarity of the musical collection, Chalamet noted that some of the songs had previously circulated among enthusiasts through bootlegs like ‘The Minnesota Tapes.’

As for the star-studded cast of ‘A Complete Unknown,’ Chalamet takes on the role of Bob Dylan, while Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Pete Seeger, Monica Barbaro steps into the shoes of Joan Baez, and Elle Fanning is set to play an undisclosed character. The film also promises a portrayal of Woody Guthrie, although the actor for this role remains a mystery.

Directed by James Mangold and based on Elijah Wald’s book, ‘Dylan Goes Electric,’ and a script by Jay Cocks, the biopic is slated to commence production in August. Mangold, who confirmed Chalamet’s commitment to singing in the film, expressed his enthusiasm for the project.

In an interview at London’s Star Wars Celebration, the director shared, “It’s such an amazing time in American culture. The story of a young, 19-year-old Bob Dylan coming to New York with like two dollars in his pocket and becoming a worldwide sensation within three years — first being embraced into the family of folk music in New York and then, of course, kind of outrunning them at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief. It’s such an interesting true story and about such an interesting moment in the American scene.”