Timothée Chalamet became the youngest person to win best male actor for a leading role at the 2025 SAG Awards — and his bold speech made it clear he is just getting started.
“I was not expecting this at all, truly,” Chalamet, 29, said after winning for his performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. “I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much this means to me, but the truth is this was five and a half years of my life.”
Chalamet reflected on his commitment to the role, adding, “I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist. Mr. Bob Dylan. A true American hero. It was the honor of a lifetime playing him.
The actor, who thanked his mother and his fellow cast members, went on to address the hopes he had for his career.
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“Lastly, I can’t downplay the significance of this award because it means the most to me. I know we’re in a subjective business,” Chalamet continued. “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.”
Chalamet mentioned several people whose performances touched him as an actor. “I’m as inspired by Daniel Day Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps,” he concluded. “And I wanna be up there. I’m deeply grateful for that. This doesn’t signify that but it’s a little more fuel, a little more ammo to keep going.”
Chalamet beat out The Brutalist’s Adrien Brody, Queer’s Daniel Craig, Sing Sing’s Colman Domingo and Conclave’s Ralph Fiennes for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. He and his costars were also up against the actors from Anora, Conclave, Emilia Pérez and Wicked for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, which ultimately went to Conclave.
A Complete Unknown, which was released in December 2024, depicted Dylan, 83, from the beginning of his career in 1960s New York to his famous electric guitar performance of “Like a Rolling Stone” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
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Dylan weighed in on Chalamet’s performance, writing via X that same month, “There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”
He added: “The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric – a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you’ve seen the movie read the book.”
Chalamet replied to the tweet by writing, “Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob.”
