During a recent Q&A session with Robert Downey Jr. at New York’s DGA Theater, actor Timothée Chalamet shared a tense on-set experience while filming Josh Safdie’s upcoming sports dramedy, “Marty Supreme.” Chalamet recounted an incident where he was verbally threatened by a background actor during a motel sequence. He explained that he enjoys working with non-actors, finding it thrilling, but noted that it sometimes required multiple takes to achieve the desired intensity.

Chalamet described trying to provoke a background actor to anger for a scene, initially believing his efforts were unsuccessful. “And I’m really getting in the guy’s face and I’m really trying to get him angry with me. I was saying to Josh, ‘He’s not getting angry with me, he’s not getting angry with me,'” Chalamet stated. However, after another take, the actor received a startling response. The background actor warned him, saying, “I was just in jail for 30 years. You really don’t want to fuck with me. You don’t want to see me angry.” This unnerving revelation prompted Chalamet to question director Josh Safdie about the person he was acting opposite.

In “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet portrays Marty Mauser, a character determined to become a table-tennis champion. The film is a fictionalized narrative inspired by the life of real-life table tennis legend Marty Reisman, who achieved five world championship medals in the sport. Chalamet’s performance in “Marty Supreme” has garnered significant critical acclaim, positioning him as an Oscar frontrunner.

His role has already earned him prestigious honors, including awards from the Critics’ Choice Awards and Golden Globes. Furthermore, he has received an Actor Award nomination from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Reflecting on his Golden Globes acceptance speech, Chalamet expressed profound gratitude, attributing his perspective to his father’s teaching. “My dad instilled in me a spirit of gratitude growing up. ‘Always be grateful for what you have.’ It’s allowed me to leave the ceremony in the past empty handed with my head held high, grateful just to be here. But I’d be lying if I said those moments didn’t make this moment that much sweeter,” Chalamet shared, highlighting the significance of his recent accolades after previous nominations.