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When they set out to make a film about Bob Dylan, it was clear to all the creatives involved that the songs had to be performed live. Even Timothée Chalamet, the actor who plays Dylan, agreed.
“It was important for me to sing and play it on set because it was in the spirit of the film to play it live,” Chalamet said in a featurette about “A Complete Unknown.” To achieve this, Chalamet had to emulate Dylan as an artist, from his singing and stage presence to his guitar playing and harmonica skills.
“He [Chalamet] “Learn the whole thing from the ground up,” said music supervisor Steven Gizicki. “It’s harmonica, guitar and vocals. It’s very special.”
Directed by James Mangold, A Complete Unknown begins with 19-year-old Dylan moving from Minnesota to New York City in the early 1960s. In the West Village, Dylan made a name for himself as a gifted singer and songwriter. Dylan became a central member of the folk movement as his songs became rallying cries not only for people but also for social causes.
“His genius lies in the power of his songs and his personality, which ultimately elevates him to the point where he is greater than the movement into which he was absorbed,” Mangold said.
Chalamet admires Dylan's refusal to be “boxed in” as an artist. No better example of Dylan's fearlessness is his decision to switch from acoustic to electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. This controversial decision is one of the moments that shaped the future of rock music.
“Many of the artists in American popular culture who had the courage to break away from the expectations expected of them, that moment began with Bob,” Chalamet added.
In addition to Chalamet, A Complete Unknown stars Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Norbert Leo Butz, Dan Fogler and Scoot McNairy.
A Complete Unknown hits theaters on December 25, 2024.
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