Watch Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown’ Meet His Hero — Exclusive Clip

The filmmakers behind Best Picture nominee “A Complete Unknown” will be the first ones to tell you that any portrayal of musician Bob Dylan comes with an extreme level of difficulty, so the stakes were high filming the opening sequence, which IndieWire can share in an exclusive clip above.

“‘Song to Woody’ is meant to be Bob’s tribute — it’s both an audition and a heartfelt expression of gratitude to his hero,” said star Timothée Chalamet of the scene where his Dylan goes into Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital to meet and perform the song for his idol Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton.)

Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan, an icon of multiple genres and disciplines, has earned him his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor, as well as his own tribute at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where past collaborators provided their endorsement of the 29-year old’s talents on display in the beginning of the film and onward.

“Let’s talk about your Bob Dylan performance in ‘A Complete Unknown,’” said Chalamet’s “Interstellar” dad Matthew McConaughey via surprise video message. “From the first scene, in a role that was so ripe for skepticism, you left no doubt that Bob Dylan was yours. From frame one, Bob Dylan, the creation, the idea, the trickster, the lone wolf, without attitude or affectation, your Dylan was no imitation. It was an emulation. Your performance had so much discipline, so much consideration, so much freedom, but always in context.” 

The Best Actor Oscar winner added, “You were the center of attention and exceptional ambiance at the same time. You floated through the story constantly flirting with the edges, without ever digging your heels in. Congratulations, that is not easy. Beautiful performance. Thank you for your talent, your curiosity, and for never asking permission.”

Josh Brolin, honoree Timothée Chalamet, and James Mangold pose with the Arlington Artist Award during the 40th Santa Barbara International Film FestivalRebecca Sapp/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Speaking to IndieWire ahead of the release of “A Complete Unknown,” James Mangold, a current Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominee, said Chalamet singing “Song to Woody” first “couldn’t be more intentional,” as the filmmaker was “conscious of how the songs gained power as explications of his emotional state in the context of what was going on politically and emotionally for [Dylan] at that time. … Each one of these songs were revealing another aspect of him, also a different energy.”

McNairy’s Guthrie presence extends past the film’s opening, with check-in’s on the man who inspired Dylan’s song here and there. “The idea of keeping Woody alive through the movie for visits mid-picture and at the end of the movie was another thing I felt was important, to keep him, literally and figuratively, alive through the movie as a primal touchstone for Bob,” said Mangold.

Norton, a current Best Supporting Actor nominee, told IndieWire that he was completely sold on Chalamet’s performance as Dylan as well, which sees the star sing and play guitar live for dozens of songs, including “Song to Woody” in the first scene they share, acknowledging that the act of playing Dylan was “very daring.” 

“Look, I’ve been giving performances and acting with other people for 30 years professionally, and longer before. I’d put the zone Timothée was in on this right up there in the upper ranks of what I’ve been around. He’s in such a deeply connected, serious, immersive state. Having him be there, radiated outward to a commitment by everybody to stay deeply invested in a sustained illusion and a commitment to the illusion while we were doing it,” he said. “I’m not sure how many people could or should even attempt to play Dylan. In my own view, he’s close to a subset of one in terms of who could or should have done this at this particular point. I can’t think of anybody else who would have pulled this off, and I think he pulled it off.”

“A Complete Unknown,” a Searchlight Pictures release, is now in theaters nationwide. See an exclusive clip of the film above.