“What will Timothée Chalamet do next?” He’s steadily made his mark with iconic roles such as Willy Wonka, Paul Atreides and most recently, Bob Dylan.
The actor has come a long way from getting his name mispronounced on the red carpet, to setting records as one of the youngest to be nominated twice in the Best Actor category at the Academy Awards before age 30.
Chalamet’s acceptance speech at the SAG Awards for Best Actor sparked conversations when he declared his ambition to “be one of the greats.”
“I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said while accepting his award. “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. I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there. So I’m deeply grateful. This doesn’t signify that, but it’s a little more fuel. It’s a little more ammo to keep going. Thank you so much.”
This speech broke away from the usual award acceptance norms, which typically focus on thanking family and fellow cast members. Rather, Chalamet’s revealed his determination to establish himself as one of Hollywood’s all-time greats.
As fellow Gen Z members, USC students feel particularly supportive about Chalamet’s goal of glory.
“I think it’s great that he aspires to achieve something like that, and expressing it out loud at an award show to his fans, and to the greats themselves reflects his ambition, courage, and determination to pursue that goal,” said Ashleigh Azarraga, a junior studying Public Relations.
Lauren Nadal, MA in communication management believes the dedication that Chalamet puts towards his roles is “truly remarkable and I admire his work ethic and commitment to his craft.”
Other students expressed mixed feelings about his ambition. While some admired his confidence and drive, others were more skeptical, questioning his intentions.
“I think it’s good that he wants to be considered one of the ‘greats’ and he is a pretty well established actor already. I guess it’s kinda weird to be saying that though,” Joel Morales, a sophomore studying communications said. “I saw a Reddit post that said it makes him sound more like a competitive athlete than a collaborative artist which I agree with.”
Chalamet first entered the spotlight with a small role in “Interstellar,” but it wasn’t until 2017 when he first gained major traction for his role in Greta Gerwig’s, “Lady Bird.” This role marked the beginning of a collaboration with Gerwig, leading to future projects like “Little Women.”
2017 was a pivotal year for Chalamet largely because of his portrayal in “Call Me By Your Name,” where he played a young college student who falls in love with an older man. At just 22, his role earned him his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination, marking a major milestone in his career.
While Chalamet didn’t win the award, his nomination propelled his career forward. He went on to star opposite Steve Carell in “Beautiful Boy” and later became a key figure in the “Dune” franchise. Expanding his range even further, Chalamet took on the iconic role of Willy Wonka in “Wonka,” showcasing his versatility.
Diane Kim, freshman studying philosophy, politics, and law admitting to not knowing much about Chalamet or his career said, “In a world that encourages belittling yourself in moments of success, I think it’s cool that Timothée did the exact opposite. I admire that he recognized the actors that came before him, and manifested his dream of being one of the ‘greats.’ It takes guts to speak about your dreams aloud to others.”