Timothée Chalamet just secured a major win—and he’s not shy about his ambitions.
The actor, known for his fearless performances, took home his first SAG Award for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s biopic A Complete Unknown, marking a pivotal moment in his career.
And if you thought he was going to play it cool, think again.
“I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet declared on stage, making it abundantly clear that he’s aiming for the top.
“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.”
Chalamet, who dedicated five and a half years to bringing Dylan’s story to life, kicked off his speech with a heartfelt nod to his mother, who has worked at Actors’ Equity for four decades. He then acknowledged the immense effort behind the role.
“I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role, and how much this means to me, but the truth is, this was five and a half years of my life. I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan, a true American hero, and it was the honor of a lifetime playing him.
It’s an honor I share with Monica, Edward, the entire cast, doing a biopic in a genre that could be perhaps tired. Everyone gave it their all—I’m so deeply grateful to them.”
At just 29 years old, Chalamet is now the youngest recipient of the SAG Award for Best Actor, surpassing previous record-holder Nicolas Cage, who won at 32 for Leaving Las Vegas in 1995.
Though he still has a way to go before claiming Adrien Brody’s title as the youngest Best Actor Oscar winner (Brody also won at 29), Chalamet has now officially cemented his place among Hollywood’s elite.
This win marks his first SAG Award after three individual nominations, having previously been nominated for Call Me by Your Name (2017) and Beautiful Boy (2018).
He has also been part of ensemble nominations for Lady Bird (2017), Don’t Look Up (2021), A Complete Unknown, and even the TV drama series Homeland back in 2013.
With this milestone, Chalamet is no longer just a rising star—he’s proving he belongs among the greats he admires. And if this win is just “a little more ammo,” as he puts it, it looks like he’s got plenty more firepower left in him.
