Timothée Chalamet, the acclaimed actor known for his diverse roles, made headlines in February with a heartfelt acceptance speech at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. Chalamet best actor for his knockout performance as Bob Dylan. His raw and fearless performance in the Oscar-nominated film “A Complete Unknown” left audiences speechless. The actor’s remarkable performance has won him an Academy Award. He’s been nominated for a number of other extremely high-profile awards, like the Oscars and Golden Globes.
In his acceptance speech, Chalamet reflected on the extraordinary list of cultural icons that have shaped and informed his work thus far. He called out respected talent such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis. He even went on to applaud his fellow sports legends, like Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps. In amplifying these artists, Chalamet made clear that he is ready to go after real excellence in his craft.
“I can’t downplay the significance of this award, cause it means the most to me, and I know we’re in a subjective business. But the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that but I want to be one of the greats. I’m inspired by the greats. I’m inspired by the greats here tonight. I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis, as I am by Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps.” – Timothée Chalamet
Indeed, as Timothée Chalamet’s incredible performance as Bob Dylan would suggest, it was a real labor of love. He put a tremendous amount of talent and passion into that role. He referred to the opportunity to play Dylan as “the honor of a lifetime,” underscoring the deeply personal nature of this dream project.
That’s why Chalamet’s speech resonated with so many of us. He called out fellow acting legend Viola Davis, referring to her as “one of the greats” in his speech. Davis responded to Chalamet’s speech with admiration.
“It was a speech about excellence. It wasn’t about celebrity, it wasn’t about ego. I completely understood it, and it was beautiful.” – Viola Davis
More than any one moment, what stood out in Chalamet’s speech was how much he cares about his craft and the pursuit of excellence. He candidly shared his desire to be counted among the industry’s greatest talents, demonstrating humility and respect for those who have come before him.
“I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much this means to me,” – Timothée Chalamet
