Timothée Chalamet Wasn't The First Actor Considered For The Bob Dylan Biopic

Summary

• Timothée Chalamet is under pressure to embody Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic, facing high expectations from fans and critics alike.
• Chalamet's commitment to the role and transformation have impressed many, including his vocal coach who praises his dedication to capturing Dylan's essence.
• The trailer for "A Complete Unknown" has sparked mixed reactions among fans, with some skeptical at first but ultimately intrigued by Chalamet's portrayal.

Timothée Chalamet has been all over the headlines lately for his portrayal of Bob Dylan. Chalamet was spotted rocking new hair on-set of Dylan's biopic, while completely transforming for the role in more ways than one. The pressure is on for the young actor. Not only does he have big shoes to fill portraying such a legend, but Austin Butler's portrayal of Elvis set the standard to new heights.

In the meanwhile, fans have a trailer to salivate over prior to its Christmas release. The reaction was both positive and negative for various reasons. In truth, Chalamet wasn't Dylan's first pick. In fact, judging by the other two names Dylan mentioned in the past, Chalamet wasn't anywhere near his radar. Let's take a closer look at the other actors Dylan had in mind, and what to expect from Chalamet ahead of A Complete Unknown.

Billy Dee Williams And Mickey Rooney Were On A List Of Actors Bob Dylan Considered For The Future Biopic

Bob Dylan inspired an entire generation with his style of folk and rock music. The artist set the standard, and at 83, it seems like his legacy continues to expand. That hype will only continue until Christmas time, when the release of A Complete Unknown is set to drop. The hype is already very real, with Timothée Chalamet set to star in the biopic by Searchlight Pictures. Although the young actor is the star of the film, many years ago, Bob Dylan himself had a different short-list of actors he wanted in a possible biopic. At the very top of that list were both Billy Dee Williams and Mickey Rooney, Dylan tells Interview Magazine. In the same interview, Dylan would also discuss the films he wishes he appeared in, "The Devil and Miss Jones. I Was a Zombie for the FBI. Ben Hur. Raintree Country."

Timothée Chalamet is worth $25 million.

Although Dylan's vision didn't come to fruition, Chalamet is extremely devoted to the role.

"I just saw the way [Butler] committed to it all — and realized I needed to step it up."

Chalamet's vocal coach Eric Vetro is fully backing his commitment effort. "He does everything with such a playful air, but there's always that core of real seriousness where he is gonna nail it."

"It's taking on all the characteristics of Dylan's voice and his mannerisms and his speech patterns, and bringing that into the music — so that when you hear Timothée do the music, what you're really getting is the essence of Bob Dylan. You're not getting an impersonation of him. It's breathing new life into that voice that we know so well."

Bob Dylan sold more than 125 million records.

As for the film's timeline, director James Mangold revealed it all starts when Dylan is 19, just before his fame.

• "It's such an interesting true story and about such an interesting moment in the American scene. Different characters from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan to Pete Seeger to Joan Baez — they all have a role to play in this movie."

Timothee Chalamet shares the same vocal coach as Ariana Grande, John Legend and Katy Perry.

Following the trailer release, fans had a lot to say after getting a first look at Chalamet.

After The Trailer And Photos Dropped, Fans Are Split On Timothée Chalamet's Casting For The Bob Dylan Biopic

Posted one month ago by Searchlight Pictures, the trailer for A Complete Unknown has already registered over 3.6 million views. Yes, the hype is already very real. On both YouTube and Reddit, fans are giving their early opinions on Chalamet in the lead role as Bob Dylan. Although a portion of fans were skeptical at first, the perception did change once the trailer dropped, especially when Chalamet's voice was exposed to the audience. Suddenly, it seems like there is a little more optimism among fans.

Fans reacted, "I wasn't so convinced of Timothée for this role, but man. That voice seems spot on, I'll for sure be watching this one."

"The singing sounds good, I think he’s got the essence of Dylan without seeming like he’s straining to do an impression. I’m excited for the movie," another fan added.

"Judging by the facial expressions while singing I can tell Timothée has put on the work, that along with the cinematography and a trailer that is not too flashy makes me think we're in for a treat!"

Of course, there was also a push back the other way. Some fans argue Chalamet is singing at all, and is hurting Dylan's legacy.

"Except they did literally nothing detectable to make him look like Dylan - which is ridiculous, as part of Dylan's whole mystique, especially in the beginning, was that he was a weird-looking, unattractive little imp that these songs were coming out of. To have him look like a handsome movie star is beyond absurd."

Chalamet certainly has massive pressure. Not only is he being judged by Bob Dylan fans, but he also just saw Austin Butler hit a homerun with his portrayal of Elvis. Just a few months away, fans can't wait to see the end result.