Timothée Chalamet is having a moment in the spotlight. The 29-year-old actor could win his second Academy Award for his stirring performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Determined to fully embody the legendary folk musician, Chalamet also performs 40 songs in the film. Tonight (Saturday, Jan. 25), the Dune star will again make history on Saturday Night Live as the episode’s host and musical guest.
Videos by American Songwriter
Timothée Chalamet Is Just One of Five People To Do This
Traditionally, only musicians have pulled double duty as both host and musical guest in the 50-year history of Saturday Night Live. Tonight, Timothée Chalamet makes history during the Jan. 25 episode as one of just five non-professional singers to do so.
Chalamet joins Lily Tomlin, Gary Busey, Desi Arnaz, and Deion Sanders on this exclusive list. The current Colorado Buffs head coach was the last to fulfill both roles in February 1995.
Many fans are hoping to see the two-time Academy Award winner step into Dylan’s shoes during his latest stint on SNL. Chalamet performs all of the songs in the film in addition to A Complete Unknown’s 23-song soundtrack.
Reminder to the people who still don’t understand Timothee Chalamet as musical guest (though I feel like anyone who sees me here probably already knows this lol): he sang and performed live on camera all of his (Bob Dylan’s) songs in A Complete Unknown. Go watch it. He did great!
— Saturday Night Live – High (@SNLhigh) January 19, 2025
It may be the closest thing fans ever get to another Bob Dylan performance on Saturday Night Live. The “Blowin’ in the Wind” singer has only taken the SNL stage once in 1979.
Bob Dylan Has Endorsed the Performance
Even at the height of his success, Bob Dylan never courted the spotlight. So many people paid attention when the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, 83, hopped onto X/Twitter to hype A Complete Unknown.
There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film’s taken from Elijah…
— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) December 4, 2024
Although he’s not sure the “Maggie’s Farm” hitmaker will ever watch the movie, Timothée Chalamet called Dylan’s post “hugely affirming.”
“When you’re a young artist, I don’t care how successful you are, to get a pat on the back from a legend — especially a legend of few words like Bob Dylan — it was a dream come true, literally,” the actor told Concrete Playground. “I mean, it was beyond my wildest dreams.”
Featured image by ETTORE FERRARI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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