Oscar Isaac's initial skepticism towards Timothée Chalamet taking on the role of Bob Dylan was soon replaced by astonishment. In the heart of New York City at the 2024 Gotham Awards on December 2, Isaac, a 45-year-old veteran, presented Chalamet, 28, and director James Mangold with the Visionary Tribute award. As he reflected on working with Chalamet in the 2021 movie "Dune: Part One", he recounted how Chalamet first shared his next project, "A Complete Unknown", during their time on set. "He starts telling us about his next project he was working on. A movie with the wonderful director James Mangold about a young Bob Dylan coming to New York in 1961," Isaac remembered. "And my first thought, 'It sounds like a really bad idea.' I mean, it's Dylan. It's the holy of holies for me. It just didn't sound right."

The Power of a Guitar and a Song

"Then Timmy takes out his guitar — not a good sign — and starts playing 'Girl from the North Country,' " Isaac added. "Now, this is a song I know deeply, to my core, and Josh, Steven and I, we're not your average Timmy Chalamet groupies. We're grizzled movie vets. We've seen some s—." This moment was a turning point. Despite Chalamet having just begun learning the guitar and singing at that time, Isaac felt that the actor approached Dylan's music "not as if he was learning something new but as if he was remembering something he’d always known, just rediscovering it." "I look over at a wide-smiling Steven, and he just says, 'Yeah, baby,' and the three of us just sat there watching this young man connect with something mysterious," he continued. "And that is the nature of folk music. To quote the great Llewyn Davis, 'If it never gets old and it was never new, it’s a folk song.'"

Chalamet's Preparation for the Role

Chalamet has been open about spending five years preparing to play Dylan, now 83, in the upcoming "A Complete Unknown", which covers Dylan's early rise to fame and decision to begin playing electric guitars in the mid-1960s. In Isaac's estimation, Chalamet and filmmaker Mangold, 60, captured Dylan's essence in the new movie, which is in theaters December 25. "James and Timothée have approached this work with a mix of humility and irreverence, just like Dylan approached the Great American Songbook, probing familiar forms to rediscover the truth of the present moment," Isaac said during his Gotham Awards speech as he brought the filmmaker-actor duo to the stage. This dedication and approach have truly brought Dylan's story to life on the silver screen.

The Impact of the Movie

The movie "A Complete Unknown" is not just a portrayal of Dylan's early years but a journey that has touched the hearts of many. It shows how Chalamet, with his talent and hard work, was able to connect with the essence of Dylan. Through his performance, viewers get a glimpse into the world of folk music and the power it holds. It is a story that reminds us of the importance of authenticity and the ability to rediscover the past in the present. This movie is a testament to the talent of both Chalamet and Mangold and their ability to bring a legendary figure like Dylan to life.