Vanderbilt Programming Board hosted actor Timothée Chalamet for a Q&A session in Sarratt Cinema on Dec. 6. Chalamet’s latest film, “A Complete Unknown,” tells the story of Bob Dylan, American singer and songwriter. The movie is set to release in theaters on Dec. 25. 

The 30-minute talk, moderated by vice president of museum services at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Michael Gray, featured Chalamet’s experience stepping into the role of Dylan, insight on his current press tour and sneak peeks of the film.

Chalamet, the leading star and producer of the film, shared that the project has been in the works since 2018. The six-year process stemmed in part from the actors’ live singing and instrumental performances. The film also features Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger and Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash.

To trace Dylan’s musical journey, Chalamet and his team started their press tour in the artist’s hometown of Minnesota; while there, Chalamet visited the University of Minnesota, Dylan’s alma mater. The tour then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Chalamet participated in a special conversation at Vanderbilt University and introduced a premiere at the Belcourt Theater.

“It was important for me to come to Nashville,” Chalamet said. “I want to hit the places that were true to Bob Dylan’s past.”

Over 1,300 students entered a raffle to be randomly chosen to attend the event in Sarratt Cinema. Attendees were instructed to arrive by 2:30 p.m. CST, and by the time doors opened at 3:30 p.m. CST, the line stretched down the hallway. During the wait, VPB asked students to give their best Bob Dylan impressions and handed out posters for “A Complete Unknown.”

The room erupted in applause as Chalamet entered at 4 p.m. CST, following a trailer screening and a brief introduction by Gray.

Gray first asked Chalamet to share his thoughts on the film. Chalamet explained that the story follows a young Bob Dylan arriving in New York City in 1961 as his career begins. He described the film’s meaning in two ways — through its narrative and its historical context.

“There was a folk movement in America at that time,” Chalamet said. “A lot of people in the mid-’50s, late ’50s that would have had their careers explode like Pete Seeger or the people in that movement didn’t, because they were blacklisted, creating an opportunity for someone like a young Bob Dylan to come in and be the champion of the movement.”

Chalamet also touched on Dylan’s profound influence in folk music and his role in pioneering a shift in the genre.

“Not only did he embody all the qualities of the movement at the time. He also flipped the genre on its head in a way that feels very obvious now, writing personalized music,” Chalamet said. “And this was considered blasphemous and was sort of, in some ways, the first punk rock movement in America.”

When asked about his first introduction to Bob Dylan’s music, Chalamet recounted a black-and-white image of Dylan that a family friend of his father had on their wall. Though familiar with Dylan’s popular hits, he admitted he knew little about Dylan’s past or his journey as a musician.

“Watching [Bob Dylan’s] old press conferences from ‘65, you see someone who is so gifted, intelligent [and] confrontational,” Chalamet said. “I just thought it was fascinating — he was never giving the appropriate answer.”

To further prepare for the role, Chalamet said he visited Dylan’s old apartment in Manhattan and other spots like MacDougal Street and Café Wha?. He also took solo trips to Hibbing, Minnesota, and Duluth, Minnesota, visiting Dylan’s birthplace and hometown.

“It was important to go by myself because I wanted to feel a personal connection to it,” Chalamet said. “It helped me understand what he was trying to escape — besides the cold weather — and you hear that iron ore in his voice in ‘North Country Blues’ or in ‘Rocks and Gravel.’ It was just awesome to retrace those steps.”

When discussing the challenges of portraying Dylan, Chalamet emphasized learning the guitar as a key part of his preparation.

“I had a great guitar teacher, Larry Saltzman, who had worked with Meryl Streep,” Chalamet said. “I just got into it with him, and after five [to] six years, it didn’t even feel like work.”

Chalamet said he was deeply moved by a recent X post from Bob Dylan, who praised Chalamet’s performance in the film. Dylan called Chalamet a “brilliant actor” as he did a fantastic retelling of the early ‘60s and Dylan’s life. 

“I couldn’t believe it,” Chalamet said. “It felt like an affirmation and something I’ll cherish forever.”

Students watched a clip from the film that highlighted Chalamet’s live performances on guitar, harmonica and vocals. Initially, the cast spent six months pre-recording music that would be lip-synced during filming, but the success of the first live performance convinced Chalamet to make all the music live on set.

“At first, it was a war for me,” Chalamet said. “But it was important for me to do it because [Bob Dylan] wasn’t lip-syncing. He wasn’t trying to sound like him. He was just doing it.”

Chalamet also touched on Dylan’s relationship with Johnny Cash, describing it as a significant influence on his music.

“It started as a pen palship and the exchanging of letters,” Chalamet said. “Cash [was] a big brother figure to Bob. He sort of revered Johnny Cash — especially his role in the ‘Nashville Skyline.’”

Gray expanded on Dylan’s time in Nashville, referencing his performances at the Ryman Auditorium with Johnny Cash and the creation of his groundbreaking album “Blonde on Blonde.” He said Dylan’s persistence in recording in Nashville, despite management’s resistance, resulted in one of his most prominent works.

Chalamet praised the cast for their dedication to their roles, noting how Monica Barbaro insisted on performing barefoot on stage to honor Joan Baez’s style.

“[The cast] would fiercely defend their characters,” Chalamet said. “No one expected that they were in a Bob Dylan movie.”

Chalamet concluded by reflecting on Dylan’s lasting influence, noting his awe at seeing him perform live at two sold-out shows.

“The belief to be true to what inspires you in life — I hope you know I’m genuine about that,” Chalamet said. “There are artists that you relate to and empower you, and there are artists that do both. He is one of them.”

Sophomore Melina Angeledes attended the conversation in Sarratt. She shared her thoughts on Chalamet’s passion for the role.

“I thought it was really interesting to see how invested Timothée Chalamet was in portraying the character of Bob Dylan,” Anegledes said.

Sophomore Alexa Turteltaub shared her newfound excitement for the film after the event.

“I didn’t know about the Bob Dylan movie, but I am excited to see it now especially because of music’s connection to Nashville,” Turteltaub said.