Timothée Chalamet Reveals Pressure to Bulk Up Early in Career, Carves Unique Path in Hollywood

Timothée Chalamet recently revealed that, as a young actor, he was encouraged to gain weight to fit the mold for Hollywood roles. In a conversation with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Chalamet shared how early auditions for popular franchises like The Maze Runner and Divergent often ended with feedback about his physique. "The feedback was always, ‘Oh, you don’t have the right body,'" he explained. One of his agents even hinted he should bulk up, though not too forcefully.

Rather than changing himself to suit mainstream expectations, Chalamet chose a different path, likening his journey to Bob Dylan’s unconventional early career. Chalamet, who is set to play Dylan in the upcoming biopic A Complete Unknown, drew a parallel between Dylan’s dive into folk music in Minnesota and his own path toward films with personal, artistic focus.

Chalamet found success in unique, character-driven projects like Call Me by Your Name, Beautiful Boy, Lady Bird, and Little Women, films he described as “personable movies that started in this theater space.” According to Chalamet, this was where he truly found his “rhythm” and developed confidence in his craft.

Eventually, Chalamet would step into blockbuster roles with a style all his own. His leading parts in Dune and the upcoming Wonka film underscore his ability to balance both intimate indie projects and major studio hits. Notably, his recent back-to-back box office successes with Wonka and Dune: Part Two broke a record last set over 45 years ago by John Travolta, marking Chalamet as a versatile star who’s carved his own niche in Hollywood.