‘A Complete Unknown’ Welcomes Timothée Chalamet to the Oscar Race (and Monica Barbaro, Too)
You don’t need to be a Bob Dylan aficionado to appreciate Timothée Chalamet’s transformation into the iconic folk singer. Even if your knowledge of Dylan’s career is limited to a few famous tracks or a vague recollection of his controversial shift to electric guitar, Chalamet’s performance in “A Complete Unknown” is undeniably a career best. He’s emerging as a leading contender for his first Academy Award — a compelling performance that may prove difficult for voters to ignore.
On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Searchlight Pictures hosted two packed screenings of “A Complete Unknown” at the Fox Lot, followed by Q&A sessions featuring director and co-writer James Mangold, actors Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning, costume designer Arianne Phillips, and production designer Fran?ois Audouy. Chalamet, currently filming Josh Safdie’s new period project “Marty Supreme,” was notably absent, but his presence wasn’t needed to dominate the conversation. His portrayal of Dylan has already sparked widespread acclaim, positioning him as one of the frontrunners in the best actor race.
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Directed by Mangold and co-written with Jay Cocks, “A Complete Unknown” is based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book “Dylan Goes Electric!” The film chronicles a pivotal four-year span in Dylan’s life, from 1961 to 1965, culminating in his controversial decision to “go electric” at the Newport Folk Festival — a moment that redefined American music and cemented Dylan as a generational voice.
Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.
The ensemble cast features Edward Norton as folk icon Pete Seeger, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, P.J. Byrne as Harold Leventhal, Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie, Dan Fogler as Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman, and Will Harrison as Bob Neuwirth. Barbaro plays Joan Baez, while Fanning portrays Sylvia, a fictionalized version of Dylan’s first love, Suze Rotolo.
Chalamet performs all of his own singing in the film — a bold choice in any musical biopic, but especially when portraying an artist with a voice as iconic and distinct as Bob Dylan’s. Yet, like Diana Ross embodying Billie Holiday in “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972), Sissy Spacek channeling Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980), and Renée Zellweger stepping into Judy Garland’s shoes for “Judy” (2019), Chalamet rises to the occasion. He doesn’t attempt a note-for-note imitation of Dylan. Instead, he captures the essence of his vocal style and emotional intensity, delivering a performance that feels authentic rather than imitative. It may be something Academy voters won’t be able to resist.
Chalamet, who previously made history as the third-youngest best actor nominee for “Call Me by Your Name” (2017) at just 22, could set another record this year. If he wins, he will become the youngest winner in the category, surpassing Adrien Brody, who won at 29 for “The Pianist.” Chalamet turns 29 in December, making him 279 days younger than Brody was at the time of his win.
However, Chalamet faces competition from seasoned actors. Coincidentally, Brody is also in the conversation this year for his performance as a Holocaust survivor who immigrates to America in Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist.” Other major hopefuls include Ralph Fiennes, whose turn as priest ushering in a new pope in “Conclave” is drawing attention, and Colman Domingo, coming off a career-defining run with “Rustin” and a hot streak that includes “Sing Sing,” as a prisoner involved in a theater group. Oscar voters have historically been slow to anoint young stars, as evidenced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s protracted path to his first win after five nominations. Perhaps this time will be different?
Still, Chalamet’s Dylan performance appears to have the goods to overcome these hurdles. Dylan scholars so far are impressed, as told to Variety. “Does he nail the voice? Maybe not perfectly,” said KG Miles, author of “Bob Dylan in the Big Apple” and other works. “But he gets the passion and the soul. It doesn’t feel like karaoke—it feels lived in.”
The film’s narrative explores Dylan’s love life as much as his music. Chalamet’s Dylan shares the screen with Barbaro as Joan Baez and Fanning as Sylvia, a fictionalized version of Dylan’s first love, Suze Rotolo. Barbaro, best known for her role in “Top Gun: Maverick,” delivers a gorgeous turn as Baez, capturing her fierce charisma and performing several songs from her catalog that swoon the heart. A viable contender in the competitive supporting actress field. Meanwhile, her co-star Fanning, tackles a trickier role: Unlike Barbaro, she doesn’t have a well-known figure to emulate or songs to sing. Yet, her portrayal of Sylvia is heartbreaking and profound, culminating in a final scene that could also put her in the race. Will they go for both?
Barbaro and Fanning provide the emotional heart of “A Complete Unknown,” grounding Dylan’s larger-than-life mystique in intimate, human connections. The chemistry between Chalamet and both women is palpable, drawing viewers into the dueling romances that become the film’s best moments.
The film’s production values will likely be on the lips of artisan branch members. Costume designer Arianne Phillips and production designer Fran?ois Audouy bring the 1960s to life, crafting a visual aesthetic that vividly captures the era. Norton’s transformation into Seeger, while unlikely to nab him a supporting actor nod, demonstrates the film’s remarkable attention to detail in makeup and hairstyling.
Mangold, no stranger to prestige filmmaking, delivers a compelling vision of Dylan’s evolution. Known for directing “Walk the Line” (2005), which won Reese Witherspoon her best actress Oscar, as well as “Logan” (2017) and “Ford v Ferrari” (2019), Mangold remains an underrated talent in the director race. Despite a brisk production schedule — filming wrapped in June 2024 — “A Complete Unknown” displays polished craftsmanship, though some have noted its 140-minute runtime feels unwieldy. Whether that impacts its awards-season momentum remains to be seen.
That said, Mangold’s ability to deliver a commercially appealing yet artistically ambitious film could help “A Complete Unknown” secure a coveted best picture nomination. His previous films, including “Ford v Ferrari,” have shown his knack for balancing artistic merit with audience accessibility — a quality voters in the expanded best picture category may appreciate.
“A Complete Unknown” opens in theaters on Dec. 25, perfectly timed for Oscar season. Produced by Fred Berger, Alex Heineman, Peter Jaysen, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Timothée Chalamet, and Mangold, the film promises to be a major player in the coming months. Whether it’s Chalamet’s stirring turn, the lush designs, or its resonating story of a cultural icon at a crossroads, “A Complete Unknown” will be one of the year’s most talked-about movies.
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