Bob Dylan has finally shared how he feels about Timothée Chalamet playing him in the upcoming film A complete unknownbiopic directed by James Mangold about Dylan’s mythic transformation from Minnesota farm boy to 1960s New York folk hero.
And while Dylan seems excited about the film and Calamet’s portrayal of him, the musician still urges viewers to dig a little deeper, suggesting that those who watch the film should read the book on which the film is based — Elijah Wald’s 2015 book, Dylan goes electric!
Dylan’s proposal appeared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (December 4), the latest update from the rock icon, who recently began communicating with fans via social media—quite a change from Dylan’s usual mysterious ways.
Dylan wrote in the post: “There is a movie coming out of mine called A Completely Unknown (what a great title!). “Timothee Chalamet will play the lead role. Timmy is an excellent actor so I’m sure he will be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”
There’s a movie of mine coming out called A Completely Unknown (what a great title!). Timothee Chalamet will play the lead role. Timmy is an excellent actor so I’m sure he will be completely believable like me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film is taken from Elijah…
– Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) December 4, 2024
The musician continued: “The film is taken from Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wald – a book published in 2015. It is a wonderful retelling of the events from the early 60s that led to the Newport debacle . After you watch the movie read the book.”
Title A complete unknown comes from the lyrics of Dylan’s most famous song, 1965’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” from one of his most culturally influential albums, Review Highway 61. In its chorus, 24-year-old Dylan memorably belts out, “How does it feel? / Without a home / Like a complete stranger / Like a rolling stone.”
Wald’s book investigates the moment Dylan “went electric” in 1965, a major turning point in his career and in the history of rock music. His move to electric music was controversial, especially among his folk music fans. The pivotal moment occurred during his performance at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965.
Dylan took the stage with a full electric band — then known as “The Hawks,” later to become The Band — and performed a set that stunned the audience. Many fans in the crowd booed him, expressing their displeasure with his departure from the acoustic folk sound they had associated him with.
A summary for A complete unknown writes, “In the early 1960s, 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrived in New York with his guitar and his revolutionary talent, destined to change the direction of American music. Forming the closest of relationships During his rise to fame, he became increasingly restless with the folk movement, making a controversial choice that resonated around the world.” Watch the trailer below and catch the film in theaters on December 25.
Tags Timothée Chalamet, Bob Dylan