Timothée Chalamet Was Threatened by Ex-Prisoner Extra While Filming ‘Marty Supreme’

Timothée Chalamet is opening up about a surprisingly intense encounter on the set of his latest film, Marty Supreme.

During a recent Q&A at New York’s DGA Theater alongside Robert Downey Jr., the actor shared that he was actually threatened by a background actor during production. Chalamet explained that director Josh Safdie often utilizes non-professional actors to bring a sense of realism to his projects.

I won’t say who, but in that motel sequence, there are a lot of non-actors…that I find it really thrilling to work with, but sometimes it would take multiple takes to really get something out of them, Chalamet told the audience.

In an attempt to elicit a genuine reaction for the scene, Chalamet began intentionally provoking his scene partner. He recalled getting directly in the man’s face, trying his best to make the extra feel truly angry with him.

At the time, the Oscar nominee believed his efforts were failing and even expressed his frustration to the director. I was saying to Josh, ‘He’s not getting angry with me, he’s not getting angry with me,’ he recalled.

However, Chalamet quickly realized he had misjudged the situation during the very next take. The unnamed background actor finally broke his silence, but it wasn’t the scripted reaction Chalamet had been expecting.

I did another take, and then the guy said, ‘I was just in jail for 30 years. You really don’t want to f*** with me. You don’t want to see me angry,’ Chalamet shared with a nervous laugh.

The revelation immediately changed the energy on set for the young star. I said to Josh, ‘Holy shit, who do you have me opposite, man?’ he joked about the sudden reality check.

In Marty Supreme, Chalamet portrays Marty Mauser, a character inspired by the legendary real-life table tennis champion Marty Reisman. The film follows the brash hustler as he navigates the underground ping-pong scene of 1950s New York.

The role has already proven to be a career milestone for Chalamet, who recently took home the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The win was particularly emotional for the actor after four previous nominations left him empty-handed.

My dad instilled in me a spirit of gratitude growing up. ‘Always be grateful for what you have,’ Chalamet said during his acceptance speech on January 11.

He noted that this mindset helped him keep his head high during past ceremonies, but admitted that the prior losses made the current victory feel much sweeter. Chalamet is now considered a frontrunner for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Marty Supreme features an eclectic supporting cast including Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, The Creator, and Fran Drescher. The film also features a secret voice cameo by Robert Pattinson, as revealed by Safdie during the same press tour.

Aside from his awards season run, Chalamet has been keeping a packed schedule with several major blockbusters on the horizon. He is set to return to Arrakis for Dune: Part Three, which director Denis Villeneuve is currently developing.

In a strange twist of box office scheduling, Chalamet and Robert Downey Jr. noted during their Q&A that Dune: Part Three is currently slated to release on December 18, 2026. This is the same day as Downey’s highly anticipated return to Marvel in Avengers: Doomsday.

The two actors have already dubbed the potential box office showdown Dunesday, a nod to the Barbenheimer phenomenon of 2023. Chalamet is also expected to begin work on High Side, a new project with director James Mangold.

Share your thoughts on Timothée Chalamet’s award-winning performance and his set stories in the comments.