For nearly a decade now, Timothée Chalamet has been one of the most in-demand young actors in Hollywood. With his chiseled, delicate features and his excellent taste in projects, he’s gone from success to success, proving his ability as a performer. Although Chalamet has a tendency to play emotionally vulnerable young characters, he has shown an interest in a wide variety of genres, working in everything from comedy and science fiction to drama and horror, and both modern and historical films alike. His work has earned him acclaim from critics and fans, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Still in his 20s, Chalamet’s future career is filled with promise. And, with Wonka out in theaters now, it’s a perfect time to look back on Chalamet's best past performances and roles.
Interstellar (2014)
Looking back, many audiences may not remember Timothée Chalamet was in the popular sci-fi film from Christopher Nolan; Interstellar. In case you missed it, you’ll find him playing the small but crucial role of 15-year-old Tom, the son of Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey). Trapped on a dying Earth, Joseph takes on the desperate mission to travel across the galaxy in the hopes of finding a new planet for humanity to call home. But in doing so, he must leave behind his two children, Tom and Murph, and reckon with the very real possibility that he’ll never see them again. The young Tom is not only struggling with school, but with the uncertainty of the planet’s survival. The intensely close relationship between his father and sister often leaves him on the outside looking in. Although in many ways a thankless role, Chalamet wrings empathy from the misunderstood character.
See our review of Interstellar or see our list of movies like Interstellar for more.
Miss Stevens (2016)
Although it often feels like Timothée Chalamet shot to stardom extremely quickly, he paid his dues in smaller independent projects like many other actors. In Miss Stevens, he plays a high school theater kid whose relationship with his English teacher (Lily Rabe) becomes increasingly complicated while she chaperones him and two other students at a drama competition. Chalamet’s character is having a hard time navigating his mental health issues and dealing with the recent passing of one of his parents. While he’s going through it all, Miss Stevens attempts, yet struggles, to provide support while maintaining appropriate boundaries between teacher and student. In this film, Chalamet demonstrates a tremendous screen presence that would help make him a star in just a few short years.
Beautiful Boy (2018)
In this tearjerker based on a true story, Timothée Chalamet plays Nic Sheff, a young man who struggles with a methamphetamine addiction throughout his adolescence. He stars alongside Steve Carell, who takes on the role of his father, determined to do whatever it takes to help Nic stay clean. By the time Chalamet took on this role, he had proven himself as a rising star capable of headlining his own movie, winning over both audiences and critics. And while Beautiful Boy has a tendency to be a little on the schmaltzy side, Chalamet’s performance is a bright spot in the film as he continues to showcase his ability to play troubled, emotionally vulnerable young characters.
See our review of Beautiful Boy.
The French Dispatch (2021)
Wes Anderson is known for his quirky ensemble casts, and The French Dispatch is no different. In a series of vignettes, his film tells the story of a small French newspaper and a sampling of the articles contained within. Chalamet pops up alongside Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand), a no-nonsense journalist covering an ersatz student revolution at a local college. Chalamet plays Zeffirelli, the idealistic (and slightly pretentious) leader of the resistance, and the two start up a clandestine relationship, despite Krementz’s efforts to maintain emotional distance from her subjects. Surprisingly funny in the role, Chalamet has one of the most relatable lines in the film for any writer: After Krementz offers him some criticism of his manifesto, he admits that he only let her read it because he thought that she would “be impressed by how good it already was!”
See our review of The French Dispatch.
Lady Bird (2017)
Make no mistake: Lady Bird is Saoirse Ronan’s baby from start to finish. She stars in the titular role of Lady Bird, a teenager coming of age in early 2000s Sacramento. Lady Bird is profoundly dissatisfied with her middle-class existence, and dreams of the day she can move away to college – preferably on the East Coast – and start her real life. In this film, Timothée Chalamet plays Kyle, a pretentious loner who Lady Bird is immediately attracted to – to a teenager in the early 2000s, he’s the epitome of cool. In fact, she likes Kyle so much that she does something and immediately regrets it afterward, realizing he’s not quite as perfect as he seems. Chalamet’s performance as Kyle is humorously self-aware, as he fully embraces the subtle ridiculousness of the character.
See our review of Ladybird.
The King (2019)
Henry V was a legendary British king, immortalized both by his unexpected victory at Agincourt against the French and his literary treatment by William Shakespeake. And in 2019, he was given a big-screen biopic from Netflix, directed by David Michôd and starring Timothée Chalamet as Henry himself. In this interpretation of Shakespeare’s historical plays, Henry is something of a wastrel, spending his time gallivanting through London with little interest in ruling England after his father passes. Chalamet brings a youthful charm to the impetuous Hal, which one might expect based on his previous performances. However, he also cuts a surprisingly compelling figure as a reluctant leader who stands at the head of a mighty army. Although The King was not universally beloved, it showcases Chalamet’s range as an actor.
See our review of The King.
Bones and All (2022)
In Bones and All, Timothée Chalamet plays against type as a young cannibal. (Interestingly enough, he collaborates with his Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, but not his co-star Armie Hammer, the only one of the three with actual cannibalism allegations.) In this dark love story, he is paired up with Taylor Russell as Maren, another one of his own kind, an outcast in a world of ordinary humans. Their chemistry is off-the-charts as they find kindred spirits in one another, and Chalamet brings a sensitivity to his character that provides balance to its otherwise threatening nature.
See our review of Bones and All.
Dune (2021)
Until Dune (2021) came out, Timothée Chalamet was more of an indie darling than a blockbuster star. His delicate features and emotional performances made him more suited for quiet dramas, and he was hardly at the top of casting directors’ lists when it came to action flicks. But this all changed when he was chosen to play Paul Atreides in the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic, Dune. Here, he brings a quiet intensity to a larger-than-life role as a character just beginning his journey, but will go on to great things as the scion of the House Atreides and a legendary leader of the oppressed Fremen people. With the success of Dune, he put to rest any question of his status as a Hollywood headliner. Also watch the trailer for Dune: Part Two, which has an updated release date you can look forward to.
See our review of Dune.
Little Women (2019)
In 2019, Timothée Chalamet took on a role played by teen heartthrobs of generations past: Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, the wealthy young neighbor of the March family in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women. His interpretation of the character is a charming reprobate, and he sells both the deep friendship with Jo (Saoirse Ronan) and his romantic attachment to Amy (Florence Pugh), as well as his deep longing to be a part of the March family. In this version based on the classic novel, Chalamet allows us to see more of Laurie’s flaws as he gallivants across Paris, making it more clear why he and Jo would not suit each other well as husband and wife. Amidst many strong performances – including Pugh’s, which was nominated for an Academy Award – Chalamet acquitted himself admirably as Laurie.
See our review of Little Women.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Timothée Chalamet had acted before he appeared in Call Me By Your Name alongside Armie Hammer, but the bittersweet drama was arguably the film that put him on the map. He plays Elio, a teenager spending the summer in Italy with his parents when he meets his intellectual father’s newest research assistant, Oliver (Armie Hammer). The two dance around each other for part of the summer before falling into a classic Italian fling, despite their considerable age difference. For his vulnerable, heartbreaking work as Elio, Timothée Chalamet was nominated for an Academy Award at the tender age of 22, making him the third youngest Best Actor nominee in Oscar history.
See our review of Call Me By Your Name.
There you have it! If you’re a Timothée fan, what are your favorite performances and why? Let us know in the comments. In the meantime, here’s where you can watch the Willy Wonka movies online (both the 1971 and 2005 films), how to watch Wonka, and IGN’s Wonka (2023) review.
Audrey Fox is a contributing writer at IGN. She's worked as an entertainment writer for five years, with bylines at /Film, RogerEbert.com, and The Nerdist.
