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Timothée Chalamet has responded to critics who have called him a “try-hard” for being open about wanting to win both awards and audiences, saying “they can say whatever the f***”. The Ladybird star, who has generated Oscar buzz with his role as professional table tennis player Marty Mauser in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, has been nominated at the Academy Awards twice without winning. He was nominated for the best actor award in 2018 for Call Me by Your Name but lost to Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody. In 2025, he was in the running for A Complete Unknown and lost to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist. He was also nominated for three SAG awards, four BAFTA awards, and four Golden Globe awards. In an interview with Vogue, Chalamet expressed his disappointment at losing the Oscar, saying: “If there’s five people at an awards show, and four people go home losing, you don’t think those four people are at the restaurant like, ‘Damn, we didn’t win?’” “I’ve been around some deeply generous, no-ego actors, and maybe some of them are going, ‘That was fun.’ But I know for a fact a lot of them are going, ‘F***!’” he said. “People can call me a try-hard, and they can say whatever the f***. But I’m the one actually doing it here.” In February this year, the Dune star became the youngest person to win best actor at the SAG awards for his performance as Bob Dylan “I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said after 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.” Chalamet also addressed his A Complete Unknown press tour, which saw involved in a number of unconventional stunts: he showed up at his own lookalike contest in New York, impressed with his detailed knowledge of college football on ESPN’s College GameDay, and surprised a college marching band at their rehearsals. “You don’t want to risk being too declarative,” he said. “But I also don’t want to look back on life and things I’ve put out and go, ‘Oh, little old me. Hey, see the movie if you want. It is what it is.’ No. At worst, you’ve rubbed people the wrong way. And at best, someone will get pulled in and go, ‘Hey, this guy really thinks this thing’s worthy.’” Marty Supreme was released at the New York Film Festival earlier in October with a surprise screening, following which Chalamet’s performance received heavy praise. Marty Supreme represents a big swing for A24, the arthouse studio behind Everything Everywhere All At Once, Moonlight, and Euphoria on HBO. The film reportedly cost around $70m, the most money A24 has ever thrown at a project. Marty Supreme is scheduled for release on 25 December in the US and 1 January 2026 in the UK.
