Timothée Chalamet Reveals If He Really Sings in 'A Complete Unknown'

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In the world of Hollywood, it seems like Timothée Chalamet can do it all.

Whether he's portraying a post-apocalyptic savior in the Dune movie franchise, a beloved literary character in Little Women, or earning an Oscar nomination for Call Me by Your Name, the actor has a number of talents that transcend across roles. And as folks saw in Wonka back in 2023, Timothée unveiled yet another skill: his capability to carry a tune and sing.

Now, Timothée is putting his vocal ability to the test in his latest project, A Complete Unknown (out December 25). The biopic film sees him portraying legendary musician Bob Dylan as he rises to fame in 1960s New York City. As the story tells how Bob became a pioneer for electric instruments, it will showcase some of Bob's influential music catalog, including songs like "Girl From the North Country"and "Like a Rolling Stone."

Given how Bob is known for his prolific voice and Timothée seemingly taking on all the elements needed to portray him, we desperately need to know: Is Timothée Chalamet actually singing in A Complete Unknown? Or was his voice dubbed over to make it sound like Bob? As it turns out, we have an answer — and it comes from none other than Timothée himself.

Here's the short answer: When you watch A Complete Unknown, you will be hearing Timothée's true (and live!) voice. As he explained in a November 2024 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the ability to sing Bob's music live was an important element for him when taking on the role.

"It was important for me to sing and play live," he explained in a clip posted on YouTube. "Because if I can actually do it, why should there be an element of artifice here? And I’m proud that we took that leap."

And if that's not enough, maybe this piece of information will shock you. It's not one or two songs Timothée is singing in A Complete Unknown — it's actually 40 songs throughout the movie. And he's adding to it by also playing the harmonica and guitar — meaning, he's essentially a triple threat!

A Complete Unknown also features other iconic '60s musicians, like Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook) and Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy). It turns out Timothée isn't the only one singing in the movie.

"It's a true feat to do the songs," Boyd, who portrays the "Ring of Fire" singer, added. "It was a process."

And if you're wondering how Timothée's vocal performance will be received in A Complete Unknown, there's truly only one opinion that matters. As Bob posted on X (formerly Twitter), he's ready to be blown away.

"There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!)," he wrote on December 4. "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... It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s."

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