A unique “A CNN & Variety Town Hall Event: Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey” brought the two actors together for a wide-ranging conversation. The program, which originally aired on CNN on February 21, is now available to stream on Variety’s YouTube channel, complete with bonus footage. Filmed before a live audience of University of Texas at Austin students, the event marked a reunion for Chalamet and McConaughey, who famously portrayed son and father in Christopher Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi epic, “Interstellar.”

During their 90-minute discussion, the actors delved into their memories from “Interstellar,” Chalamet’s role in “Marty Supreme,” and their individual approaches to acting. Chalamet shared that “Interstellar” remains his favorite project, describing McConaughey’s performance as his “most fantastic role.” He credited McConaughey and Christopher Nolan’s seriousness on set as an inspiring “origin point” for his own career trajectory after high school. McConaughey, in turn, recalled Chalamet’s “feverish curiosity” at the time, recognizing his determination to forge his own path amidst choices related to music and career pressure.

In bonus footage from the town hall, Chalamet and McConaughey discussed a significant shift in how studios are now approaching filmmaking, largely in response to audiences' use of phones while watching movies or TV shows. McConaughey expressed concern about the diminishing role of Act 1 in storytelling, noting that it's often the first element cut by studios. He observed that Act 2 often starts much earlier in scripts, and multi-part series rush into conflict within the opening episode, creating an “abbreviated” feel.

Chalamet echoed these observations, referencing a reported Netflix production guideline that prioritizes placing major action set pieces at the beginning of content. He explained that this contrasts with the traditional logic of saving the biggest