The man can dress, the man can rap (thank you SNL) but more than anything the man has some fine acting chops. It's been over five years since Timothée Chalamet cracked into the mainstream (and over five years of fawning over his excellent bone structure). In that time, we've seen the dissemination of some truly memorable performances. Whether it's Cannes, Toronto or Venice Film Festival, you'd be hard pressed not to find one of Chalamet's films on the roster. And with every film he signs onto, his roles become more complex and beguiling (yes, even Wonka). So if you're in the mood to star at Timothée Chalamet for hours, here are his best movies to date.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Let's start with the most obvious addition. Call Me By Your Name signalled a turning point in the actor's career where he became a stand out leading man. The film adaption of the book by the same name finds Elio, a young man, experiencing a sexual awakening when an American comes to study under his professor father in Italy for the summer. His deeply moving performance shows the heartache and angst of teenage love (find me a person who didn't cry in the scene between Elio and his father). The performance earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor which, at 22 years old, made him the third-youngest ever nominee for the award.
Hot Summer Nights (2017)
For the most part, this seems to be pushed under the rug, but it really shouldn't be. This stylised coming-of-age drama sees Chalamet as a young teenager sent to live in Cape Cod for the summer, where he winds up in the world of petty crime, as a low level weed dealer. Things start to get dicey and the film takes a pretty dark turn. If you love Chalamet at his awkward and dorkiest self then this is the film for you which has all that and then some. It's hard to resist his coy mannerisms here.
Lady Bird (2017)
The inception of the Ronan-Chalamet crossover. The Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks for us millennials. Greta Gerwig's directorial debut Lady Bird has Chalamet stand in as the crush of the titular character. His character Kyle is a high school boy in a band, who Lady Bird sleeps with under the illusion that it's both their first time. While the performance is a little light on here, he plays the aloof, conspiracy-guzzling teen so well we can't help but feel a little smitten.
Beautiful Boy (2018)
A heartbreaking journey of a father and son. Chalamet stars opposite Steve Carell in this biographical drama based on two memoirs. It's here that we see Timmy flex his dramatic muscles. In Beautiful Boy, he portrays Nic, a writer’s son who becomes addicted to methamphetamine, recovering and relapsing countless times over the years. It's a breathtaking performance closely rivalled to that of CMBYN. We hate to see him cry but we love the level of depth here.
Little Women (2019)
We all left that cinema cursing Jo March. Once again meeting up alongside Gerwig and Ronan, in Little Women Chalamet plays Laurie, a neighbour of the March family who falls in love with Jo, only to later settle for Florence Pugh’s Amy when Jo rejects him. Although, Gerwig makes a compelling case for Amy and Laurie's chemistry. He delivers a charming performance in a winning ensemble film, and proves that outside of having chemistry with a wall he's quite the good physical actor; the dance scenes with Jo are a particular treat.
Dune (2021)
The breathtaking cinematography aside, this high-stakes conflict-heavy film has been deemed the best sci-fi film in years. Much of this is due to Chalamet's intense and layered performance. Here he plays Paul Atreides, the heir to a powerful house that falls victim to a series of unfortunate political challenges. Bring on Dune: Part 2!
Don't Look Up (2021)
Chalamet gets to let his freak flag fly in Don't Look Up, the film about post-truth, Trumpian politics, global warming and Covid-19 from Adam McKay. He wears a mullet, dresses exclusively in camo, and in case you haven't guessed it, is a dirtbag.
The French Dispatch (2021)
If you ever wanted to watch Timothee Chalamet take a bath or slip into a romance with Frances McDormand, here's your chance. In Wes Anderson's romp through the world of publishing, Chalamet plays Zeffirelli, a chess player cum student revolutionary. It's playful and fantastical.
Bones and All (2022)
Where to start with Bones and All? The film officially outstrips CMBYN as Chalamet's best. Set during Reagan's America, the movie has all the wide shots of desolate landscapes, with working-class Americana weaved throughout. It's spare and intensely human, speaking to our desires, repressed or otherwise, and our innate hunger for companionship and to be truly seen for who we are. The soundtrack is impeccable – KISS, loads of New Wave, that Leonard Cohen track – as is Maren and Sully's wardrobe; all the soft cotton underwear, floral dresses, combat boots, badges and Surplus Store-wear. The dynamic between Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance's characters is deftly navigated, in fact, I couldn't take my eyes off Russell. As for Timmy, well, we already know he's a star. It doesn't take long before you understand it's not really about cannibalism at all...although the fleshy scenes are truly grisly.
Wonka (2023)
One thing about Timothee Chalamet is he's turbo. Which is exactly why his portrayal of the Candy King just makes sense. The initial stills from Wonka raised our eyebrows (and blood sugar). But by all accounts, according to reviews the film is a surprising success. Besides the fact that it captures Timothée Chalamet singing and dancing, Hugh Grant stars as a pompous oompa loompa, so there's that too.
Image: @tchalamet
