Timothée Chalamet is adding yet another accolade to his already impressive list of achievements.
For his lead role in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, the two-time Oscar nominee was awarded the inaugural Arlington Artist of the Year Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The honor was presented in part by DAOU Vineyards.
During a moderated discussion at the Arlington Theatre, Chalamet, 29, joined his Dune co-star Josh Brolin on stage, where he reflected on his acting career—with a touch of self-deprecating humor.
“That was the trippiest montage,” he said to Brolin, 57, after watching a reel showcasing his most notable film roles.
Laughing, he added, “Wonka to Bob Dylan. Really?”
Chalamet on Playing Bob Dylan
Chalamet also spoke about portraying the legendary singer-songwriter, now 83, and how deeply he admires Dylan’s artistry and lyrical genius.
“I admire Bob Dylan and these great lyricists, these artists who generate the work,” he shared. “Maybe one day I’ll generate the work. Maybe one day I’ll write something great.”
Directed and co-written by James Mangold, A Complete Unknown follows Dylan’s rise to fame in the 1960s folk music scene in New York City. The film features Edward Norton as Pete Seeger and Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez.
Chalamet, Norton, 55, Barbaro, 34, and Mangold, 61, are among the eight Academy Award nominees for A Complete Unknown. Notably, Chalamet also headlines another Best Picture contender this year: Dune: Part Two.
SBIFF Introduces the Arlington Artist of the Year Award
This year marks the debut of the Arlington Artist of the Year Award at SBIFF. According to the festival’s website, the award recognizes “an artist who is greatly admired and has demonstrated an incomparable commitment to film and its craft.”
Throughout the festival, which began on Feb. 4, other honorees have included Angelina Jolie, who received the Maltin Modern Master Award, and Zoe Saldaña, honored with the American Riviera Award.
Colman Domingo was presented with the Montecito Award, while eight stars received Virtuosos Awards: Barbaro, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Fernanda Torres, John Magaro, Mikey Madison, Sebastian Stan, and Selena Gomez.
Chalamet Among This Year’s Oscar Contenders
At the 2025 Academy Awards, set for March 2, Chalamet is nominated for Best Actor. His competition includes Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Domingo, 55 (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Stan, 42 (The Apprentice).
Looking ahead, Chalamet will star in Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie and co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow.
