Comedian and television host Chelsea Handler has become the latest public figure to criticise actor Timothée Chalamet for what many perceive as excessive self-praise during the promotional tour for his latest film, 'Marty Supreme'.
Handler Joins Growing Chorus of Criticism
The 50-year-old comedian weighed in on the subject during an appearance on the podcast 'Not Skinny But Not Fat', hosted by Amanda Hirsch. While Handler acknowledged that Chalamet is "a great actor", she expressed discomfort with his recent interviews. "It's hard to hear someone talk about how great they are at acting," Handler stated, agreeing with Hirsch's suggestion that the 30-year-old star might be taking himself "too seriously".
Handler contrasted Chalamet's approach with that of established Hollywood icons, specifically naming Leonardo DiCaprio. "No, Leo wouldn't do that," she asserted. "Leo is a movie star. He wouldn't talk like that. I mean, that's new. I haven't heard any actor kind of talk like that." DiCaprio won his Oscar for 'The Revenant' in 2015 after decades of global fame.
Chalamet's Controversial Comments and Awards Ambition
The criticism stems from a now-deleted video interview, originally posted to YouTube by journalist Margaret Gardiner. In it, Chalamet, who is dating Kylie Jenner, made bold claims about his own work. "This is probably my best performance, you know, and it's been like seven, eight years that I've been handing in really, really committed top-of-the-line performances," he said.
He defended his outspokenness, adding: "And it's important to say it out loud because the discipline and the work ethic I'm bringing to these things - I don't want people to take it for granted... This is really some top-level s***." This is not the first time the actor has been accused of arrogance. At last year's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where he won for the Bob Dylan biopic 'A Complete Unknown', he declared his pursuit of greatness, name-checking legends like Marlon Brando and Viola Davis.
Oscars Buzz and Public Reaction
Chalamet's performance in 'Marty Supreme' has generated significant Oscars buzz. The film, inspired by the life of a real underground ping-pong player in 1940s New York, recently earned him a Golden Globe award, which he collected this past Sunday. His promotional appearances for the film have also drawn attention for their theatricality, featuring an orange colour motif and entourages wearing giant table tennis ball masks.
Following his Oscar loss for 'The Brutalist' to Adrien Brody, Chalamet was candid about his disappointment in a Vogue interview, questioning the idea that losers at awards shows are not upset. The actor seems aware of the potential backlash to his confident demeanour, stating: "People can call me a try-hard, and they can say whatever the f***. But I’m the one actually doing it here." As the awards season continues, the debate around his self-promotion shows no sign of abating.
